


Mustafar Weekend

by kittandchips



Series: Force Bond [8]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Mustafar (Star Wars), Parent Darth Vader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:20:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 33,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23908354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittandchips/pseuds/kittandchips
Summary: Set between Force Bond 2 and 3. Vader wants Luke to feel at home when he introduces his teenage son to his Mustafar residence for the first time, but is that possible in a grim fortress built on top of a lava flow? There are secrets within its walls that will challenge the trust they've both worked hard to build.
Relationships: Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader
Series: Force Bond [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1722820
Comments: 175
Kudos: 229





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, it's been a while since I've added to this series (when fanfic writers say they'll post soon, a decade later still counts as soon), but ever since I read the 'Fortress Vader' comic arc, I've wanted to retcon Vader's Castle of Angst into the Force Bond series. It required some adjustments to every single fic, and I was lured into updating some other things that I always wanted to fix, but being under a nationwide lockdown for a month was exactly the kind of time I needed to finally get it done. In Force Bond 2, Vader realized he needed to wait to introduce his danger-prone son to Mustafar, but by the time Force Bond 3 occurs, Luke is happily visiting when he doesn't need to be on Coruscant. So this fic fills the gap between those two points in time.
> 
> If you've read the Fortress Vader arc, you'll see I reference some of the events from that story here, but it's not needed to understand this story. I also took some inspiration from the Vader Immortal VR game (itself inspired by Fortress Vader).
> 
> There are six chapters in total and I'll update weekly. It's also on fanfiction.net if you prefer to read there (I'm kittandchips there as well). Thanks to everyone who has supported this fic series over the years.

Luke Skywalker looked up as a sleek grey snub-fighter flew into the palace hangar, going a little too fast, yet still making the sharp turn needed to land in the space between the TIE Advanced and the Lambda class shuttle. His father always made an entrance, even in the air. He smiled to himself as he walked over to say hello, seeing Artoo popping out of the astromech socket.

"Hey, buddy," he said, crouching down as Artoo came rolling over to greet him. "My father take you for a ride, huh?"

Artoo beeped and chirped and Luke frowned in confusion. "Slow down. You know I'm still learning. Did you say … something about a surprise? A good surprise, I hope."

The droid made another series of chirps, but Luke was distracted by his father's approach. He straightened up, spinning the spanner around between his fingers.

"Hey. Been anywhere interesting?"

"That depends on one's point of view," his father said. He glanced down, clearly taking note of his greasy coveralls, and then said, "Are you working on the V-38 engine?"

"Yeah, just trying to fix that issue with the duct," Luke said, walking over. "I think the previous owners took shortcuts with it and it shows. So I thought I might try replacing it with an X-type duct, if I can adapt the connectors to fit. I might need you to have a look at the regulator circuits though because I can't make sense of those things. It's like it fell apart and they put it back together while blind-folded."

His father followed him to the area where the speeder's front access hatch was raised and the vehicle was hoisted off the floor. But he didn't immediately look at the engine as would normally be the case. He looked between the empty parking space beside the V-38 to the other side of the hangar bay, where the sleek black lines of the Narglatch Airtech Z-35 rested beside a restored classic.

Luke followed his father's gaze and then quickly gestured at the engine. "So what do you think of the way this cooling line is attached below the fuel efficiency circuit. Is that how it's supposed to be?"

His father remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Wasn't the Z-35 parked over here this morning?"

"Um …" Luke began fidgeting with the spanner again. "Well. See, here's the thing. I needed the space to work on the V-38. I didn't want to accidentally scratch the surface on that thing. I know it's your favourite speeder right now. So I found the keys in the locker and I got Threepio just to shift it over there. Out of the way, where it's safe. Just me taking precautions."

His father had been watching him during this speech, unnervingly still and silent, apart from the respirator. Finally, just as the silence began to feel awkward, he said, "You worry me, Son."

"Huh? Why?"

"One day, you may find yourself in a dire situation due to your complete inability to lie convincingly."

Luke smirked, and then tucked the spanner under his arm and made a show of writing a note on his hand. "Note to self. Get better at lying convincingly to my father."

"I wouldn't recommend it, young one."

His father didn't move a finger, and kept his gaze focused directly on him, but Luke felt the urge to step sideways. A fusion cutter sailed past, barely missing a collision with the seat of his coveralls. It would have if he hadn't moved. He quickly raised his hands and dropped the smirk. "I only used the repulsors. I didn't even turn on the engine."

"Fortunate. For if that speeder had left the ground—"

"Okay, okay, I know." Luke released a weary sigh and looked down.

Then he was surprised by the feel of his father's hand on his shoulder, prompting him to look up.

"Patience. You won't always be so young. In fact, I believe you will soon be another year older."

Luke smiled, warmed by his sense of his father's affection.

"Yes, fourteen. Only one more year until I can get my license, right?"

"Perhaps." His father let his hand drop, and Luke turned back to fiddle with the engine.

"Artoo mentioned a surprise," Luke asked. "A good surprise? Or is it just about some Empire Day thing?"

"There is a four day weekend for the celebration this year. I thought you might like to come for a trip with me."

Luke looked up in interest. "You mean … a hyperspace trip?"

"Yes. To the Outer Rim."

"Wow, that would be great! There are so many places I want to see. And then could we go even further and see the unknown regions."

"I was thinking more of you visiting a single planet with me."

"Which planet?" Luke said. "Please don't say Tatooine."

His father breathed for a few cycles, and then said. "Mustafar."

* * *

 _Six months earlier_ ...

The main entrance hall of the Imperial palace was a hive of activity at mid-morning on the first day of the week. Politicians and ambassadors were arriving for the hope of an audience with one of the Emperor's low-level bureaucrats, and new staff were being shown through the building and trained on security procedures. Protocol droids wandered through on their way to deliver messages to their masters, and royal guards stood silently between the red Imperial flags decorating the walls.

Vader watched all this through the transparisteel walls on the tenth level above, invisible in the shadows. He was following the progress of one particular protocol droid, whose bright gold finish gleamed among the more common silver variety found in the palace. Behind him, an officer paused every few steps and gazed around in wonder. Threepio, ever the epitome of manners, waited when she did so. They appeared to be conversing about the design of the pillars and arches.

When they finally made it to the elevators, now some five minutes late for the appointment by Vader's estimate, he turned and walked back down the corridor to await their arrival by the elevator bay. Threepio was first out of the doors, chattering away about the meaning behind the lighting choice in the elevator.

"Ah, Lord Vader," Threepio said, catching sight of him. "May I present Lieutenant Roda Banks, from the Royal Imperial Architect office."

Lieutenant Banks, who had the deep yellow skin and small lekku of a Twi'lek-human hybrid, offered a military bow and an annoyingly beaming smile in greeting.

"Lord Vader, it is a pleasure to work with you."

"You are late," Vader replied, shortly.

Threepio started to apologise, but Lieutenant Banks spoke over him.

"My deepest apologies, my lord. I am always so thrilled to see Colonel Brenne's greatest legacy in person. I did my master's thesis at the academy on her work transforming the Imperial Palace."

"Then let's hope you don't end up coming to an untimely end, as she did," Vader said. His words finally caused the lieutenant's smile to fade. "You may leave us, Threepio. Go to the hangar and ensure the shuttle is ready for launch."

The protocol droid hastily went back into the elevator. Vader gestured for the lieutenant to walk with him.

"You have been briefed on this assignment?"

"Yes, my lord," she said, assuming a more serious tone. "I understand you require some alterations to your residence on Mustafar. I received the existing architectural plans this morning. It's really quite a stunning design and I'm sure whatever you require can be easily integrated without any disruption to the existing aesthetic."

 _A simple yes would have sufficed_ , Vader thought. Out loud, he said, "The existing aesthetic is the problem, Lieutenant. What I need is a space there that will be suitable for my son."

"Your son?" she said, surprised.

"Yes. I will show you his room here so you can get a sense of what aesthetic might be suitable for him."

The annoyingly happy smile returned to her face. "How old is he, sir?"

"Thirteen."

"Oh." Her eyes narrowed. "They can have … unusual tastes at that age. But I'm always up for a challenge!"

"Good."

They turned another corner, and Vader led her down the end of the dimly lit corridor. Luke had the blinds open in his room, and the light immediately streamed through when he opened the door. He glanced around in mild disapproval.

"You will have to see past the mess," he said, picking up an empty takeaway cup and putting it in the disposal unit. "He did clean it over the weekend but it seems to have regressed in the interim."

The lieutenant was smiling again as she entered the room behind him. She wandered the length of the room, glancing at the racing flag on the wall and fingering one of the model ships on the shelf.

"What does he like to do with his spare time, sir?" she asked, picking up a circuit board on the desk.

"Lately, eating and sleeping," he said.

The lieutenant laughed in a slightly nervous way. "Sounds like my younger brother."

Younger brother. How young was this officer that she had a brother of an age with Luke. Vader suspected the senior members of the architecture office had their own nefarious reasons for sending her, but it was of no consequence. Someone younger would be more likely to have an appreciation for what a teenager would like.

"He also has a pair of droids that the room should accommodate," Vader said. "The protocol droid who escorted you here is one of them. The other you will meet shortly, as they will both accompany us to Mustafar. They spend a lot of time with Luke and can assist with any questions you have."

The lieutenant nodded and then picked up a photo that had been stuck on the wall beside the holovid. She studied it for a moment, and then asked, "Is he the one on the left or right?"

Vader accepted the offered picture. It was one he'd never seen before and appeared to have been printed automatically by a machine, as there was branding around the edge advertising a hologaming parlour. The image showed Luke and Ben sitting in some kind of flight simulator gaming booth and the words 'high score of the month' printed under their faces. Ben's expression was one of surprised disbelief, while Luke had a glow in his eyes and a smile that would have lit up a room.

For a moment, Vader wondered if this entire venture was a lost cause already. It was hard to even imagine the boy in this picture ever being at home in a place like the Mustafar fortress.

"The right," Vader said, passing it back. "Have you seen enough?"

She nodded, sticking the picture back on the wall. "Yes, sir."

"Then let us proceed."

* * *

If the lieutenant was surprised he was going to fly them to Mustafar himself, she didn't say anything. She remained in the passenger lounge with the droids for most of the journey, much to Vader's relief. He needed something to distract him from questioning whether this was really the best idea, and there were several classified reports on growing insurgent activity in his inbox that would fill the need.

When the shuttle reverted from hyperspace, and Mustafar filled the front viewscreen, the doors to the cockpit slid open, and the lieutenant took a seat in the co-pilot's chair.

"The droids have been very helpful," she said, glancing down at her datapad full of notes. "They really are devoted to Luke." She smiled then. "He sounds like a great kid."

Vader didn't reply.

"But perhaps a little too adventurous," she added. "As soon as Threepio heard we were going to a volcanic planet he started fretting about safety measures."

"Threepio is an overly anxious droid," Vader said, checking on the heat shield gauge as they descended into the atmosphere. "His concerns are not without merit, however. I have taken steps over the last few months to ensure the walkways and exits have safety barriers, and some of the rooms are secured. As part of your work, I would like a complete safety audit to identify any risks I may have missed."

"Yes, sir," she said, taking note. When she looked up again, the view caused her to straighten in her seat. The fortress had appeared on the horizon, it's darkness framed by a dull grey sky beyond. It was noon on Mustafar, but as always, only faint rays of sun made it past the clouds, giving its days the appearance of eternal dusk.

She didn't say a word until after Vader had set the ship down in the main hangar bay, and they were descending the ramp. Artoo was first on the floor, and he rolled in circles a few times, and then whistled in Vader's direction, _not this place again!_

Vader chose to ignore him.

"It is rather grim," Threepio said, looking out at the lava flows in the distance.

The lieutenant looked left and right and then up at the ceiling. "This isn't Colonel Brenne's work," she noted.

"No," Vader agreed.

The entrance gate from the ship hangar through to the main entranceway was slowly opening. Vaneé was waiting on the other side, and he bowed in greeting as Vader walked through.

"My lord."

"This is Lieutenant Banks," Vader said, gesturing to the woman. She was walking slowly towards them, pausing every so often to look at some aspect of the architecture. Threepio and Artoo trailed behind. "She is designing and supervising construction of a dining space and bedroom for Luke."

"Welcome, Lieutenant," Vaneé said. "I will endeavour to assist you in any way I can."

She nodded hello, but was too distracted by the sight of the main hall. She walked ahead down the bridge to the main circular platform in the middle, and then looked up at the ceiling. Vaneé followed her gaze, clearly wondering what she found interesting up in the dark shadows of the rafters, and then he held out a hand in warning as she took a step backwards. Vader was just considering whether he'd bother to save her if she fell over the edge, when a force field lit up, causing her to hastily step back into the middle of the platform.

"Nearly lost her already!" Vaneé said. "You're fortunate, Lieutenant. We just had these safety barriers installed last week."

"Clearly, you will be a good test subject for assessing whether the premises is ready for an excitable thirteen year old," Vader said, pointing at her as he swept past. "Come."

"I'm so sorry," she said, walking quickly to keep up with him. "It's just … I've never seen anything like this before. Who was the architect?"

"I would have thought your superiors would have briefed you on that matter," Vader said, holding the elevator door for the lieutenant. Vaneé had been held up by Threepio, who wanted to introduce himself, something which could take several minutes.

Lieutenant Banks laughed in the same nervous way she'd done in Luke's room at the palace. "They told me some crazy story about the ghost of a Sith Lord who came back from the dead and designed fifty different versions and possessed everyone and killed Colonel Brenne. They said it was better not to ask questions, but I think they were trying to scare me."

Vader was silent for a few respirator cycles, and then said, "You would be wise to follow their advice."

She swallowed in an anxious way.

When the elevator doors opened, he led her a short distance across a walkway, towards a cluster of rooms in the centre of the structure. The room they entered was long, with several floor to ceiling windows along the outer wall. The air was still, testament to how little this room was ever disturbed.

There was a bench with a sink along one side, but it was otherwise empty.

"I believe the designer intended this space to be used as a dining room," Vader said.

"Nice view," the lieutenant noted.

Vader stared at a distant volcano, and then turned back. "At the palace, Luke eats in his bedroom. If I am working in a conference room, he will join me with his meal on a tray. This is not ideal." Vader was silent, hoping the lieutenant would understand the issue. Luke was clearly attempting to recreate his family meals on the farm when he did such a thing, but a conference room of Imperial military design was hardly a relaxing space for a young man.

She nodded. "What we need is somewhere that fulfills both your needs. It will have the communication equipment and technology requirements so you can work, but will also be a comfortable, informal space where Luke and any other guests can enjoy a meal." She had wandered over to open an adjoining kitchen space for storing service droids and food supplies. "I'll start drawing up some potential designs."

Food requirements. Another thing he would need to consider. He would need to arrange for the service droids at the palace to provide Vaneé with a list of Luke's typical meals. Although, perhaps he should review it first and remove any unnecessary items.

He left the silent room without another word, and the lieutenant followed him up a winding staircase to the level above.

"There is a room on this floor currently in use for communications," Vader said, walking down the hall. "I believe it is a suitable candidate for a bedroom for Luke." He paused beside the door and pressed the release, and then stepped back to allow the lieutenant to enter first. She looked around at the various screens and the room-sized holoprojector.

"Oh, yes, this will be ideal," she said, gesturing out the window. "Another good view. And it's much larger than his room at the palace. I'll definitely be able to fit a charging station for the droids. Even a walk-in wardrobe."

"The existing equipment can be put in storage," Vader said, turning away. "There is another room on a lower level for the same purpose. I will be downstairs. Join me when you are finished."

She acknowledged this, and already seemed absorbed in her own vision of the room's future. Vader felt a small nudge of relief as he returned to the elevator. Perhaps this would work out after all. At no stage had he sensed any despair or anxiety from the lieutenant when faced with the task ahead, which is what he'd expected from someone with such a sunny disposition. Perhaps she enjoyed a challenge.

In the main entrance hall, Vaneé was still occupied by Threepio, who was telling him a story about Luke that Vader wasn't sure he wanted told.

Artoo rolled up to meet him, beeping out a series of protests.

_Do you seriously want to bring Luke here? It will give him nightmares! Who wants to live above a river of boiling lava on a mining planet?_

"Quiet, droid," Vader said. "Your opinion was not requested." He paused, and then added, "I am not moving him permanently. We will merely visit when opportunities arise."

Perhaps a weekend or two at first, slowly building up to the weeks when Luke wasn't at school. It would take his son a while to get used to the place, this was true, but Luke was accommodating. He had adapted to living in the company of a Sith Lord well enough.

He looked up at Vaneé. "Has the entrance to the temple been secured?"

"Yes, my lord. I've also had security cameras installed in that part of the building. Works on the interrogation room and the dueling room doors will be completed by the end of next week."

Vader considered it, and then said, "Are the trash compactor hatches secured? The ventilation shafts?"

Vaneé didn't reply immediately, and Vader had the distinct impression he was considering whether to offer a controversial opinion. But when he replied, all he said was, "I will add it to the list, my lord."

"Good."

* * *

Vader was soon busy with the demands of a galaxy ever in need of guidance, and didn't give much thought to the project underway at Mustafar. Lieutenant Banks regularly travelled between Mustafar and Coruscant and sent him progress reports, which he skimmed when he had the time. Vaneé also sent updates from time to time, including the results of a second safety audit. It was impossible to ensure the place was entirely locked down and yet still remained habitable, but it seemed they had reached a good balance.

Finally, two weeks before the Empire Day holiday, Lieutenant Banks sent him a message to say it was all ready, and she would like to show him when he was available. Vader wasn't sure he required a personal tour, but there were a few safety measures he wanted to personally test, so he would oblige the young woman's desire to show off her work.

He took Artoo with him when he made the journey, knowing the droid's seal of approval would go a long way towards winning over his son. The droid seemed more eager than he was to see the changes and raced ahead of him into the entrance hall, where Lieutenant Banks was awaiting his arrival. She was looking out at the distant mountains, but straightened to attention as he approached.

"I have to admit, this place has really grown on me, sir," she said, as they walked to the elevators. "When I first came here, I thought it was the kind of place I'd only go if I was getting over a terrible break-up and wanted to … I don't know, bask in self-pity and dwell on the mess I'd made of my life."

Vader was grateful she couldn't see his expression.

"But now I see there's more here, if you look hard enough."

 _No, you were right the first time,_ Artoo whistled.

"It serves its purpose," Vader said, in a tone he hoped discouraged further unnecessary conversation.

The newly renovated dining space was the first item on the agenda. It was completely unrecognizable from the dark, barren space it had been earlier. Now, the walls were a warm sandy colour, with dull orange trimmings suggesting a setting sun over a desert. The reddish light of Mustafar's afternoon sun only enhanced the overall aesthetic. A breakfast island with high stools backed onto an area where the non-droid residents could prepare themselves snacks.

Artoo rolled off into the kitchen area, beeping out a greeting to the service droids, while Vader glanced over the room's main feature, a dining table. Unlike the excessive dining tables in the banquet halls of the Imperial Palace, this one was only large enough to hold five people at most. A corner-shaped padded booth seat covered two sides, and the opposite edge had more traditional dining room chairs. There was a holovid screen mounted on the wall, placed in a way that the diners could watch the screen while eating.

"So … there are switches here which can convert sections of the table into a workstation," the lieutenant said, going to demonstrate.

Vader was already walking out. It took her a moment to realize he'd gone and she quickly came after him, radiating anxiety. Artoo soon followed, using his booster jets to take a shortcut to the top.

When they reached the upper level, he stood aside to let the lieutenant lead the way down the hall. She took a moment to steady herself before opening the door, and then stepped back. Artoo rolled in first and immediately made a long, awed-sounding whistle. Then he burst into a series of chirps and beeps.

"You have impressed the droid," Vader said, standing at the door.

"Oh, good." She smiled. "He seems like a tough critic."

"Indeed."

When he finally stepped inside and had a brief look around, he found himself momentarily transfixed. The previously utilitarian room was now a welcoming retreat. The only remaining original features were a few sections of the dull grey walls and the floor lighting. Artoo had already found his charging station, just to the right of the door, built into an alcove and architected so it was seamless with the rest of the area's design. Beside it, there was a workbench fully stocked with tools for making repairs.

The bed occupied the space down the end, opposite a fully-stocked wardrobe that led to the ensuite refresher. The bedspread was black and covered with a pattern alternating TIE fighters and pilot helmets. Above the headboard, there was a triptych landscape painting, showing a double sunset on Tatooine. Glancing up, Vader saw the ceiling had been transformed into an artificial night sky, twinkling constellations and all.

Turning back, the area opposite the droid charging station was an entertainment nook, with a flight simulator, a holovid and gaming station. There were shelves on either side of the screen, displaying models of various ships of the line. Vader moved closer, and opened a storage unit in the wall. It revealed a small food storage unit, complete with a chilled water dispenser and a range of snacks.

"I asked my brother for a list of things he would want in a dream bedroom," Lieutenant Banks said, speaking too quickly. She'd moved to stand just inside the doorway. "He said a beer fridge, but Luke is too young for such things, so I figured someone from Tatooine would appreciate a water station."

Vader closed the unit and turned back to take one final look around. A wave of gratitude hit him as he imagined Luke's reaction to this place. All his worrying about whether he was doing the right thing by even considering bringing his son here seemed pointless now. Then a memory bubbled to the surface, ignoring his feeble attempts to suppress it.

_I can go early and fix up the baby's room._

"It is adequate," Vader said, turning away. When he felt the lieutenant's disappointment, he added, "I am certain Luke will be pleased."

"I hope so, Lord Vader. Threepio told me about his past, and … I've been thinking a kid like him deserves something special."

Vader stared blankly at the far wall of the corridor for a moment, and then said, " I will ensure he communicates his thanks."

Artoo chirped in soft agreement.

"When do you think you'll show it to him, sir?" the lieutenant asked, switching off the lights.

Now that the time had arrived to actually set a date, Vader found he was at a loss. Given the unstable situation in the Argas sector, he couldn't commit to anything immediately.

"There's a long weekend coming up for Empire Day," she added, when Vader didn't reply. "Perhaps then? But I suppose you are needed on Coruscant for the ceremonies."

 _Empire Day_ , Vader thought, feeling a familiar rush of grief and anger at the words. He paused then, remembering something. Empire Day. Luke's birthday.

"The long weekend it is," he said. "I will inform him as soon as I return."

* * *

Mustafar.

Everything Luke had ever heard about the place ran through his head as he stared up at his father. Lev's vaguely horrified expression when the idea of him going there came up. His father's suggestions that it wouldn't be a suitable place for him. "Has something changed? I thought you didn't think I should go there."

"I have made some improvements to make it more suitable," his father said turning away with his gloved hands clasped behind his cape. "You are older now and hopefully more mature. There are places there you must not go."

"Why? What's so different about it?"

"Nothing is different about it. It is a place like any other."

"All right. So when will we leave? How many nights should I pack for?"

"I will request permission from the Emperor to leave after the official Empire Day state banquet. You will not need to pack anything. Everything you require is already there."

Luke nodded, momentarily surprised. "Really? Clothes and underwear and a toothbrush?"

"Yes."

He hesitated, and then said, "Are you planning for us to go there a lot?"

"If it goes well, I would like to make it a regular weekend event, when I am not otherwise occupied. We could also stay there when you have breaks from school."

Luke was about to protest that he liked to hang out with Ben on the weekend, or spend time in the hangar bay working on various projects. But he stopped himself. He could tell by his father's carefully modulated tone and tense stance that this was important to him, but he didn't want to let on how important it was.

His father turned back to face him. "I know this is a change in your routine and may take some getting used to," his father said, obviously sensing his hesitation. "However, if you give it a chance, I think you will enjoy being there. It's where I keep some of the rarer starfighters I own."

"Starfighters?"

"Yes. Including a Skylark from Aga Narn."

Luke smirked. "Now who's lying. None of those exist anymore."

"You will see it soon enough. It was a gift from a Hutt who owed me an apology."

Luke raised an eyebrow, realizing his father was serious. "That's a really good apology."

"Yes. I will let you inspect the engine if you promise to be careful."

Luke brightened up then. Spending a weekend tinkering around with ancient starfighter engines wouldn't be so bad.

"Do you think … I know you never really get days off, but do you think we could make it an Empire free weekend? Get some of those Moffs to do something for a change. So it's just you and me and messing around with starfighter engines?"

Luke expected this to result in a lecture about how vast and complex the task of maintaining a galactic government was, and how duty and responsibility did not take vacations. But instead, his father remained silent, and Luke could feel a faint sense of some emotion through their mental link. Out of curiosity, he attempted to make the link stronger, so he could understand exactly what his father was thinking, but he immediately shielded him.

"I will endeavour to accommodate your request. But the galaxy doesn't always cooperate."

"I know," Luke said. "Well, you're free now, right? Take a look at this." He moved around the engine, making room for his father to come closer.

Soon, his father had taken the spanner from his hand, and was prising out the fuel regulator, and Luke was happily listening as he told him what the various parts were and what function they performed in the overall mechanism. It was easy to forget about all the unusual things about his life here and his father's job, and his father himself for that matter. They were just any regular father and son, enjoying a hobby they both shared.

The thought of a whole weekend doing just this seemed almost too good to be true. But at that moment, Luke allowed himself to believe it was entirely possible.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

"Tell me, Lord Vader," the Emperor said, as a serving droid rolled past, carrying a third helping of dessert to Luke's place at the head table. "Do you actually feed that young man?"

"He eats five meals a day," Vader protested.

The main course had finished some time ago, and the Emperor was enjoying a glass of wine post-meal, as was the Grand Vizier and the selection of Moffs and senators who had been deemed worthy enough to sit at his table for the official Empire Day banquet. Luke, meanwhile, appeared to be on a mission to ensure there were no leftovers to be delivered to the stormtrooper garrison.

"He's probably going through a growth spurt," Tarkin said, holding out his glass for another serving droid to top up. "He could do with one."

Luke's fork paused for a moment, and he appeared on the verge of making some comeback. But Vader gave him a warning look until he resumed eating. He'd been given strict instructions not to speak to anyone at the banquet unless he was directly asked a question, and he had done well so far. The food was a good distraction.

At the top end of the room, on a stage setup and decorated for the event, Moff Mors returned to the microphone. This was her third year acting as master of ceremonies, and she always appeared to relish it. After a series of dry quips about the weather in Imperial City compared to the weather on Ryloth, she waved a hand towards the doors, and the royal guards parted to allow it to open.

"And now, for your pleasure, the Imperial Youth Choir, made up of children from many of the Empire's most glorious and exotic worlds."

The room erupted in applause as the children filed on to the stage, all dressed in black uniforms with the Imperial flag on the front. Vader immediately stood up, excusing himself to the Emperor. The sound of the respirator would only be an annoyance if he remained. His master nodded in understanding.

It was a relief to have an excuse to take a break from the room with its conversation, and food, and ever-flowing wine. These were things Anakin Skywalker had once enjoyed. Now, he was so far removed from such human pleasures, being in their presence was only a reminder of how much he'd sacrificed.

He made his way to the window bay at the end of the corridor, walking past other guests who were milling about on their way back and forth from the refreshers. Fortunately, all were wise enough not to attempt to engage him in conversation.

It was mid-afternoon in Imperial City, with the sky full of Star Destroyers in low orbit, and Vader thought he recognised the _Devastator_ among them. Far below, there were already crowds gathering for the celebrations tonight, taking advantage of the many stalls selling food and patriotic merchandise. Vader watched as a Weequay toddler strayed too close to one of the palace security barriers, causing his distracted father to shout in warning and then dive to prevent an injury. In a moment, he had his child cuddled close in his arms.

His thoughts began to drift to the past, never a good thing. It wasn't difficult to imagine Luke as a curious toddler, requiring constant vigilance to keep him out of danger. Sandstorms, gangsters, krayt dragons, Tusken Raiders. Sarlacc pits. It was a miracle Owen and Beru managed to keep him alive. The thought of them with his son in their arms induced both envy and relief. It was good they had been there to provide what he could not.

"Dad?"

Vader turned at the sound, feeling his son's glowing presence filling the space between them.

"What have I told you about calling me that?"

"You left so fast, you were there one minute, and then I look up and you were gone," Luke said, coming over to stand beside him. He leaned forward to see further out the window. "You don't like choirs?"

"It is more that people who do like choirs don't appreciate my presence."

"Why?" Luke said, looking up at him in confusion. Then, his expression changed. "Because of the respirator? That's silly … it's not that loud. I barely notice it most of the time."

When he didn't reply, Luke spoke again. "Besides, who wants to listen to those poor kids who were probably forced to practice for hours every day."

"Perhaps you could make a suggestion to the planning committee for next year's celebrations. What would you like to see as after-dinner entertainment?"

Luke smiled in a mischievous way and turned back to look out the window.

"Well. You're going to think I sound like an Outer Rim farmboy, but on Boonta Eve one year we had a big event at Anchorhead where they put two massive destructo droids in the ring and they had to fight each other, and we could place bets on the winner. People came all the way from Mos Eisley to see it. Uncle Owen thought it was stupid but me and Aunt Beru went, and she bet on the winner and won half a peggat." He smiled in a bittersweet way, and then added, "We had ice cream and cotton candy to celebrate."

There was something about his son's simple story that tugged at an emotion he didn't allow himself to feel. To cover, he said, "Somehow, I doubt droid fighting would go down well with the Emperor and the Moffs."

"But you'd like it," Luke said, giving him a conspiratorial nudge.

Vader hastily established some physical space between them.

"When I was your age, perhaps. I fought too many droids in the Clone Wars to be impressed with their powers of destruction."

Luke looked up in surprise. He was clearly about to ask further questions, which Vader had no intention of answering.

"The senator from Inorix has just left the banquet hall," he said. "He is coming this way."

Luke glanced over his shoulder. "You mean that guy who was trying to get me to commit to accompany his daughter to that Empire Day ball? I already told him I wouldn't even be on Coruscant!"

"Would you like me to threaten him for you?"

Luke raised his hands. "No! Okay, I'm going back in, but I'll come back soon."

"No, Son. Stay and finish your dessert. I will join you again shortly."

Luke gave him a look like he was conflicted about agreeing to this, and then he noticed the senator come around the corner and hastily took off for the nearest banquet hall door. Vader remained still, facing the window. He felt the senator consider whether to speak to him, and then decide it was better to turn and go back the way he'd come. The cloud of fear and danger that accompanied the Dark Side often had that convenient effect.

* * *

Luke slipped back in his seat, trying to be as discreet as possible. Fortunately, he was wearing his formal black clothes and the lights were dimmed to spotlight the choir, so he didn't attract attention walking back to the head table. He immediately picked up his spoon again, and then felt a prickly sensation deep in his chest. He glanced sideways, and saw the Emperor was looking at him. Now that his father was gone, there was only a seat's width between them. Luke hastily looked back and concentrated on his food, hoping he hadn't done anything wrong.

But when the song finally ended, and the room was filled with applause, the Emperor gestured to his father's empty seat.

"Come here, young Skywalker."

Luke wasn't sure if his stomach lurched because he'd eaten too much or because he was allergic to the man his father dedicated his service to, but he knew he couldn't refuse. He pulled the chair towards him and slipped into it.

"I understand it's your birthday."

"Uh, yes, your highness."

"You are growing into a fine young man. Your mother would have been so proud."

He then gestured to one of the royal guards who lined the wall behind them. The closest one came forward, retrieving a box from within her robes, and passed it to Luke. It was wrapped with shiny black and silver paper, patterned with the Imperial flag, and red ribbon had been looped into a pattern at the top left corner.

"A gift from me."

Luke looked up in surprise. This was unexpected. "Really? Uh … thank you, your highness." He looked down and started to pick at the ribbon but the Emperor raised a hand.

"Best not to open it now. You can take it to Mustafar with you. I believe your father has another gift for you there and you may like to display this inside it."

When Luke had been younger, he'd always been one of those kids who fell on his birthday presents and ripped the paper off in a flurry of activity and noise. Biggs had been more cautious, carefully undoing one corner and finishing with a piece that could be used again for next year's gifts. Looking at this one now, Luke realized that somewhere inside his now fourteen-year-old self, that toddler that Uncle Owen used to admonish for his impatience was still alive and well. He burned with curiosity.

"What is it?" Luke said, trying to resist the urge to shake it. He tested the weight, noting it felt heavy. A thrill rushed through him as his imagination sparked. "Is it …" he looked up at the Emperor in surprise. "Is it a lightsaber?"

The Emperor chuckled. "Do you think your father would allow me to gift you a lightsaber, young man?"

"A model ship then?" Luke asked, studying the dimensions.

The doors behind them opened, and Luke glanced up, seeing his father had returned. He shuffled back to his own seat and put the gift on his lap, repeating his thanks. His father approached slowly, looking between the Emperor and Luke with clear curiosity.

"My friend, I am sure you are anxious to get underway before the departure lanes are busy," the Emperor said. "And young Skywalker will be bored with the speeches. Why don't you take your leave?"

"Yes, master," his father said, sounding pleased.

Luke hastily scraped up the last of his dessert and then wiped his face with his table napkin. As he stood up, he placed the gift under his arm.

"Enjoy your time away, young Skywalker," the Emperor said.

"Thank you, your highness," Luke said, following his father to the door.

As soon as they were in the nearby elevator, travelling down to the lower levels, his father glanced at him.

"What were you talking about with the Emperor?"

"Oh, nothing," Luke said. "He just gave me a birthday present."

He held it up to show his father. It was immediately snatched out of his hands with the Force.

"Hey!"

Luke watched in indignation as his father levitated it in front of his mask like he didn't dare touch it. He moved to take it back, but his father lifted it higher in the air. Too high for him to reach.

"It's a gift, not a bomb," Luke said. "Can I have it back, please?"

"Not until I've run some scans."

Luke released an exaggerated sigh and then said, "I will never understand why you work for the Emperor when clearly you don't trust him as far as you could throw him."

"You will understand—"

"—when I'm older," Luke finished, rolling his eyes. "I'm sure it's just a model ship."

"We will see."

The thought that he might not even be allowed to open such a fancy gift made Luke slump against the wall of the elevator. But he soon cheered up when he saw Artoo and Threepio waiting at the boarding ramp of the sleek pleasure craft they were taking to Mustafar.

"Can I go and start the warm up sequence?" Luke asked.

"Very well. I will join you shortly."

 _Well, it was nice knowing you, birthday present_ , Luke thought, as he watched his father take it off to a tech room. He waved a hand at Artoo as he walked, motioning for the droid to join him.

"If you hear an explosion, Threepio, don't worry," Luke said, patting his droid on the arm as he came forward. "It's just my birthday present going up in flames."

"Oh, dear," Threepio said, following him up the ramp. "That doesn't sound like a desirable state of affairs."

"I guess it will be a good story for my memoir one day," Luke said. "Living with Sith Lords. Catchy title, don't you think?"

"I'm not sure your father would approve of such a work, Master Luke," Threepio said. "How was the banquet?"

"The food was amazing," Luke said, slipping into the pilot's seat and turning on the ship's computer. "I ate so much." He watched the warm up sequence go through all the on board checks and felt a yawn coming on. "Now I think I need a nap. Would you mind watching this?"

"Of course, Master Luke. Why don't you make yourself comfortable in the co-pilot's seat?"

The seats were large and padded, and Luke soon found the button to recline the back, creating a comfortable place to curl up on his side. He had only intended to doze until his father returned, but the early start for the Empire Day dawn ceremony, followed by the large meal, had left him unable to keep his eyes open.

When he finally woke, he found a pillow had been placed under his head, a blanket tucked in around him, and the seat restraints secured over the top. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and saw a blue hyperspace tunnel out the main window. Beside him, his father was sitting as still as if he were a powered-down droid. Meditating.

Luke put the seat back into its upright position and glanced back between the seats. Threepio was in the rear passenger seat, with Artoo beside him, both powered down. And on Threepio's lap …

"My gift!"

His enthusiasm caused everyone to start, including his father. Luke immediately unbuckled himself and went back to retrieve it.

"So it's safe?" he asked, already pulling off the ribbon. "Well, I know it's not a bomb if you brought it on board."

"We couldn't find any obvious danger," his father said. "But be careful."

Luke ripped off the shiny paper, letting it fall at his feet. He was left holding a carved black box, made from some kind of wood.

"Oh," he said, glad he hadn't opened it in front of the Emperor. "Well. I could keep lightpens inside it, I guess. It's a bit small for tools."

Artoo whistled and beeped, and Threepio said, "Artoo says there is something inside the box."

"What, another box?" Luke joked. He tried to open it, and found he couldn't. After struggling with it for a moment, he sat down and then saw a button. The lid lifted up and shifted back with a hiss.

A soft red glow lit up his hands and Luke found himself looking at a round red crystal, resting in a felt-lined hollow in the middle. Even without touching it, he could feel its pulsing energy.

"Let me see," his father said, reaching out to take the box. It took Luke a moment to bring himself to hand it over. The crystal was strangely entrancing.

"A kyber crystal," his father noted. "Smooth surface. Rare." He was quiet for a moment, studying it. Then he said, "Interesting. I wonder what he means by it. Perhaps he's changed his mind about training you to use your power with the Force."

"What's a kyber crystal?" Luke asked, frowning. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

"It is a living being, attuned to the Force and able to generate vast amounts of energy. It powers a lightsaber."

"Really?" Luke leaned over to take the box back and reached down to touch the crystal. His fingertips detected a vibration and they began to warm slightly. He scooped it up out of the holder, and as his fingers wrapped around it, he felt odd sensations running through his body. The ship suddenly felt claustrophobic.

"Put that away for now," his father said, reaching over and removing it from his hand. Luke felt resentful at the move, and tried to take it back, but as soon as the box lid was closed, the feeling passed. "They are powerful objects," his father added. "You aren't ready for such things. Not without preparation."

"The Emperor thinks I am," Luke said, as his father put the box in the storage compartment under the ship's main instrument panel. "He mentioned something about displaying it inside a gift you had for me on Mustafar."

"Ah. So it was intended as a decoration."

"What's your gift then?" Luke asked. "A transparisteel case?"

"You will see when we arrive."

"How long?" Luke asked, leaning over to study the controls.

"Not long. Sit back."

"What does that do?" Luke reached over, pointing.

His father simply stared at him until he sighed, and shuffled back in his seat.

"That is the HoloNet transmitter," his father said.

"How about that?" Luke said, pointing at a switch.

"Shield configuration."

"And that?"

"Comms array status."

"You just made that up," Luke said, smirking. "I was pointing at the floor."

His father didn't reply, but Luke could feel his amusement. After a minute, Luke asked, "So how long until we arrive now?"

"I think I preferred it when you were asleep."

Artoo made a chuckling noise, causing Luke to glance back at the droid.

"Hey, whose side are you on?"

Artoo beeped out a reply which Luke could only half understand. He appeared to be talking to his father. In response, his father appeared to think about something for a moment, and then he glanced over at Luke.

"How was your Empire Day school pageant this year? You haven't mentioned it."

His father had been travelling a lot recently, dealing with some unstable region in the Argas sector, and they hadn't had any time for talking about the daily drama of high school.

"Yeah, not so great," Luke said, folding up the blanket. "Everyone loved last year's play and Greein and I had all these ideas for making it even better. But then the public relations office released all these last minute guidelines for Empire Day performances, and everything we'd been working on had to go out the window. The new one was so boring. No one wanted to be in it."

"No more lightsaber dueling?"

"No dueling," Luke confirmed. "They made the Jedi so weak. They walk in, threaten to take over, and then the clone troopers just shoot them. Then the head clone trooper does a speech about how the Jedi brought the galaxy to war and now we need a strong leader who will bring peace. There was way too much talking. The little kids were bored. It felt like they rewrote it just to encourage people to worship the Emperor and join the military."

"So did you play a part?"

"Yeah, but only because Mrs Delna was desperate. I played one of the background clone troopers because it meant wearing a mask and no one had to see my face. Ben played one of the Jedi. His father recorded it if you want to see."

"I suppose I should to ensure whoever played me did the part justice."

"Oh, that was one of the most unpopular things about the new guidelines. You weren't even in it. Completely written out."

His father's tone had been vaguely sarcastic a moment ago, but now Luke felt a wave of genuine annoyance.

"What?"

Luke smiled. "Yeah, I know. Greein, the guy who played you last year, said it was a travesty and quit in protest. Maybe you can use some of your power to talk to the public relations office about that one."

"I try and avoid speaking to that particular branch of the government. They are overly fanatical. I am not their favourite person either."

"Maybe that's why they wrote you out," Luke said. "So were you actually there or not?"

His father was quiet for a long time, and Luke wondered if this had violated his rule about questions about the past. But then, he said quietly, "I was there."

"And you actually dueled the Jedi who came to take over, right? They didn't just die from blaster fire."

"No. I was preoccupied."

"With what?"

Another long silence. Then, he said, "I was worrying about your pregnant mother."

Luke's eyes widened and he shuffled uncomfortably in his seat, wondering if he should apologise for bringing it up. Then, his father said, "I apologise, Son. Such morbidity was uncalled for."

"No, it's all right," Luke said, reaching out to put a hand on his father's sleeve. "We shouldn't ignore it. I think we should talk about her." He let his hand drop as his father tensed.

"No," his father said, in a harsh tone.

There was another awkward silence. Luke fidgeted with the corner of the blanket, and then made a tentative attempt to test his father's mood along their mental link. It was shielded.

"You know, when I told you that story earlier, about Aunt Beru, it made me sad," Luke said quietly. "But it also made me happy. Because even though she's no longer with us, she lives on in my heart. When I remember the good times we had together, it's like she's not really gone. That my relationship with her still exists, but it's just in my heart now."

His father released a slow breath that sounded weary. "I know you mean well, Luke. But perhaps another time. I would appreciate a change of subject now."

They were all saved from having to think of one by the sound of the hyperspace reversion alarm. His father reached out to silence it.

"Strap yourself in properly," he said.

As Luke connected the buckle, the blue light vanished and normal space appeared. The viewscreen was filled with a gas giant. Luke stared at it in confusion, until his father pitched the ship upwards and accelerated towards a much smaller planet. This one was bright orange and appeared to be on fire.

"Um," Luke said, pointing at it. "That's Mustafar?"

"Yes."

Luke watched as his father activated the heat shields. Maximum strength.

"Are you sure I won't need a mask to breathe down there?"

"The air is breathable. The temperature is hotter than most find comfortable, but there is some air conditioning inside. Such things will be familiar to you from your desert upbringing."

Luke told himself to relax. Of course his father wouldn't bring him to some dangerous world where he'd need a mask to breathe. Artoo and Threepio had been here before, and they would have said something. He glanced back at his droids, and Artoo gave a reassuring beep, as if privy to his thoughts.

When he turned back to the front viewscreen, they were descending through the upper atmosphere. An ash cloud fell away and rivers of lava appeared before him, splitting the red surface apart between rocky mountains. Luke scanned the valleys for any sign of habitation, but the only visible infrastructure was mining stations built on the side of the lava flows.

When the ship pitched around and dipped closer to the surface, a black tower appeared on the horizon, shaped like a giant tuning fork.

"What's that?" Luke said, pointing.

"Our destination."

"Seriously?!"

Luke gazed around at the smouldering banks of volcanic rock, bubbling lava flows, and faint beams of sunlight straining to make it to the surface through the billowing clouds of ash.

"Stars. And I thought Tatooine was bleak."

His father didn't reply.

Luke remained silent as they flew around the back of the structure, coming into the ship hangar at the rear. There was something intimidating about this place and he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to step outside the safe confines of the shuttle. But, he had to admit, it suited his father. Despite his talk of the heat, he felt a chill as the ship's computer ran through the landing sequence and wrapped his arms around his front.

His father glanced at him again, and then said, "Do you have enough energy for a tour? Or would you rather go straight up to your room?"

Luke wasn't entirely sure he wanted to do either, but he nodded. "It will be a while before I'm tired again after that nap."

Artoo and Threepio were first down the ramp. His father gestured for Luke to follow them, and he walked down slowly, gazing first at the black ceiling, and then around at the black shapes of the other ships. His eye fell on one with a mangled, blackened surface, and he looked away, idly thinking it was exactly what a ship might look like if it accidentally fell into the lava.

A sudden electrical hum filled the air, and Luke jumped as all the lights came on. He looked back at the ship, noting it had a sleek design under the scarred exterior.

"What's that ship?" he asked, pointing as his father came down the ramp.

His father breathed through a couple of cycles while he stared at it, and then he said, "Never mind about that one. Come and see the Skylark."

They spent a good half hour wandering the rows of ships, and Luke couldn't resist running his hands over landing struts and tail fins. The Skylark seemed too small and felt too real for such a legendary ship, and he soon turned away from it, interested to see the various prototype TIE fighters. Off a side wall was a workroom fully stocked with spare parts and tools, and Luke could see several half-completed modification projects. The idea of spending the next few days helping his father finish them lessened some of his uneasiness, and he was smiling by the time they began to make their way back.

Then his gaze fell on a pristine N-1 Naboo starfighter, in all its yellow and chrome glory.

"What the?! Is that?" He ran towards it, and had his hands on the ladder up to the cockpit, when he felt invisible arms wrapping around his front, pulling him back.

"Leave it, young one."

"Come on! Please, Dad. Just a look at the controls."

Artoo rolled up beside him, beeping and whistling in excitement.

"Not you as well," his father said, pointing at Artoo. He put his hand on Luke's shoulder, turning him away from the ship.

"The chance of me ever agreeing to that just vanished," he said. "You know why."

"It's my birthday," Luke said, looking up at the dark shape beside him.

"And?"

"Why do you keep it here where no one can see it, anyhow? It would look good at the Imperial Palace."

"It belongs here," his father said, shortly.

As they approached the exit gate, Luke noticed Threepio was talking with someone dressed in a robe. There were very few civilian staff at the Imperial Palace, and Luke was momentarily taken aback when the man turned to look at him. There was something a little bit too intense in his gaze.

"Luke, this is Vaneé," his father said. "The resident steward."

"Hello," Luke said, idly thinking that this guy suited the place too. He looked like someone who didn't mind living on a boiling pile of volcanic rock that could probably explode at any moment.

"Welcome, young man," Vaneé said. "Your presence here has been long awaited." He studied him for a moment, making Luke feel self-conscious, and then he addressed his father. "And what a handsome young man he is. He'll make a fine Sith Lord one day."

Luke felt the return of odd chills he'd experienced earlier. He moved past Vaneé, walking through into the main entrance hall and was immediately confronted with the sight of narrow bridges traversing a pool of magma below. Artoo trundled along behind him, whistling in a concerned way when Luke reached the central platform and took the opportunity to peer back over the edge.

He looked up at his father, who was following with Threepio and Vaneé.

"I can see why you didn't want me to come here when I was younger."

"Master Luke, please come away from the edge," Threepio said. "Seeing you so close to it makes me nervous."

Artoo whistled in reassurance and extended his charging fork to demonstrate the presence of security barriers.

"Oh, that's not so bad then," Luke said. "For a moment there, I thought you'd designed it like this just to scare people into thinking you might throw them over." He turned around, looking out at the view towards the mountains. Perhaps there was something beautiful about this place, despite that cold sense of something that he couldn't quite explain.

His father walked on past the view and Luke took one more peek over the side, and then went after him. There was another heavy gate, almost like a drawbridge on an old-fashioned castle. Another view out over the Mustafar landscape was visible on the other side, but his father led him through into an elevator.

"You droids go on up," he said to Artoo and Threepio. "We will return shortly."

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

Luke had to wonder where exactly he was taking him that he didn't want the droids to see. But the short elevator ride ended with a nondescript black corridor with a trapezoidal door at the end. There were some strange carved symbols on the walls, but nothing that piqued Luke's interest.

"I am showing you this because I know if you find it on your own, your curiosity might lead you into danger," his father said, gesturing for Luke to join him. Luke hesitated, feeling his uneasiness heighten every step he took closer to the door at the end. He stopped halfway.

"I thought you said this place was hot," Luke said, rubbing his arms. "I feel cold."

"Beyond this door is an ancient Sith Temple," his father said. "A locus for the Force. For a normal person, they may feel uneasy inside, but will suffer no harm. For an untrained Force sensitive like yourself, places like this are dangerous. The Force is powerful. When you haven't learned to control it, it will seek to control you. That is why this door is locked. If you need me and I am inside, remain here and call to me through the Force. Do not attempt to enter, under any circumstances."

"I understand," Luke said, moving back to the safety of the elevator. "Stars, I'm not a little kid anymore. You just need to say it's a weird Force thing and I'll understand why you don't want me inside."

"It is only natural to be curious," his father said, joining him. "I don't want you to think I'm keeping secrets from you."

"So you'll tell me about all the battles you fought in the Clone Wars?" Luke suggested, smirking up at his father. Predictably, there was no response. He pushed a button further up.

"Hey, wait, you missed a floor," Luke said, cancelling his father's selection and replacing it with the one below.

"There is nothing to see there."

"Hey, I'm curious now," Luke said. "What secrets are you hiding?"

When the doors opened on the level his father had deliberately skipped, Luke could see immediately it was some kind of detention center, with more than one prison cell and several security doors.

"What's this for?" Luke said, immediately moving to walk the length of it, making sure there was no one actually being held prisoner here. His father remained by the elevator. "You actually imprison people here?"

"It is for sons who ask too many questions," his father said, causing Luke to roll his eyes. "Come on."

The remaining floors weren't nearly as interesting as the detention center. There were lots of storage rooms, a multi-leveled library, and a communications room. The dueling practice room was also locked up like it contained the blueprints of a secret project. Luke couldn't help but feel a little patronized.

"Sometimes I think you don't realize that I'm older now," he said. "I know not to mess around in there. I bet you didn't have that room locked before."

His father merely gave him a look, and then gestured across to the remaining wing on the floor. "There is a medical center there. I often rest and meditate in the bacta tank."

"A bacta tank?" Luke said, surprised. "Isn't that for seriously injured or sick people?"

"Yes, Luke," his father said, sounding weary. "You can look if you wish."

Luke looked at him for a moment, and then said, "Oh. I guess … I mean, I'm around you so much I don't really think about it."

His father didn't reply. To escape the awkwardness, Luke went to look in the medical center, seeing a grim, sterile place with a couple of Two-Onebee medical droids. He backed out of it quickly. The bacta room was even more disturbing, and he turned back, returning to where his father stood waiting.

He said nothing until they entered the elevator, and then Luke found he couldn't hold his question in.

"If you didn't use the bacta tank, would you die?"

His father looked down at him.

"Are you hoping to inherit this place, or just the N-1 starfighter?"

Luke frowned. "I'm serious."

"I am not in any immediate danger. Beyond that, my medical condition is no concern of yours."

"I was worried that you spend so much time on Coruscant because of me and don't take care of your own needs."

"There is no need to worry, young one." The elevator doors opened again, and Luke realized they were now near the top.

"I hope Artoo and Threepio didn't get lost," Luke said, looking around.

"They are in your room. There is a charging station for them."

"Really? That's great."

He followed his father down to the end of the corridor, where he paused beside a door, turning back to face him. Luke looked up, wondering what the delay was. His father felt like he was thinking.

"Son," he said, finally. "When you first moved into the Imperial Palace, I did not take the time to see to your needs. I was still in shock over learning of our relationship and had little idea what being a parent meant in practical terms. I regret my ignorance now. So this room is a gift to rectify that mistake. For many years, this place has been a retreat for me. Somewhere I can go to be alone when needed and to recharge. My hope is that it can be the same for you."

Luke felt a wave of curiosity then, and immediately turned to enter the room. He'd barely taken two steps inside, before he had to stop to take it all in.

"Wow! This is amazing!" He took a running leap to land on the bed, and then rolled onto his back and saw the wardrobe.

"Stars, it's all so tidy," he said, standing up to go and look. He ran his hand along the clothes until he found some soft pants and a tunic, and began stripping off the formal outfit he'd worn to the Empire Day ceremonies.

"Perhaps you can ensure it stays that way," his father said. "I will leave you to settle in. I don't expect you will want much for your evening meal, but see how you feel in a couple of hours."

"Yeah, perhaps just some soup and toast," Luke said, pulling his head through the tunic. "Perfect fit!"

His father turned to leave, and Luke held out a hand.

"Wait. Thank you … this room is way too much for a Tatooine farmboy, but I'll take it."

"Good. The other option is the detention center if you change your mind."

"No, thanks," Luke said, smirking.

* * *

As the afternoon stretched into evening, Luke emerged from his room in search of food, and Vader felt his presence as he stepped out of the elevator on the main floor. Earlier, he'd invited Vaneé to join them for meals so Luke wouldn't be the only one eating, and the arrangement worked well. Luke was suitably impressed with the new dining space, and they tuned the HoloNet screen to the official Empire Day coverage on Coruscant, providing a focal point while his son finished up his bowl of soup and joked with Vaneé about some of the less polished groups in the military parade.

"I don't think that guy's ever driven one of those before," Luke said, gesturing with his spoon as the holo-image showed a scout walker listing out of formation with the others.

"As long as he doesn't step on any of the citizenry, I think he'll live to tell the tale," Vaneé said, filling his wine glass.

"That's why you should never stand in the front row," Luke said.

Vaneé raised his glass. "To the Emperor and the glorious Empire. And all the men and women who serve and sacrifice to keep us safe."

Luke raised his own glass of warm milk, to Vader's amusement. "Cheers," he said.

"And may I also propose a toast," Threepio said, from his place by the food preparation area. "To Master Luke, as he celebrates another year of life."

"Thanks, Threepio," Luke said, smiling. "Thanks to you and Artoo for keeping me out of trouble. Mostly."

Artoo made a chirping noise followed by a series of beeps, which translated as _And to your father for not losing his temper and resorting to violence when we failed._

"That is hardly a toast-worthy achievement, Artoo," Vader said, not looking up from the screen.

"Why, what did he say?" Luke asked.

 _For you, it is_ , Artoo said.

"Artoo, must you be so rude?" Threepio said. "And didn't you have something for Master Luke?"

Luke was fortunately distracted from seeking more information about Artoo's rudeness when the droid rolled over with a birthday cake, complete with the number fourteen spelled out with chocolate candy. The sight of it caused his son to moan in an exaggerated way, holding his stomach.

"It looks delicious but I don't know if I can possibly fit ... oh, never mind, I'll do it."

He managed a small slice and shared part of it with Vaneé before finally standing up, saying something about crawling upstairs to have a shower. Vaneé stood up to say goodnight as he left the room, and then resumed his seat as he left. The droids trailed after him, after Threepio had put the remains of the cake in the cooling unit.

"He really is something special," Vaneé said. "Friendly yet unassuming. A gentle sincerity about him. You must be very proud, my lord."

If it had been anyone other than Vaneé saying such things, Vader would have dismissed it as sycophancy. But this man was too old and had known him too long to indulge in such things.

"I can't take credit for any of it," Vader said. His thoughts inevitably drifted to Padmé then, and he stood up, feeling the need to be alone.

* * *

Much later in the evening, Vader returned upstairs, intending to check on his son before turning in for the night. Spending a good eight hours suspended in bacta might not heal any of his emotional wounds, but it would go a long way towards curing this weariness.

The sensations on the other end of their mental link indicated his son was asleep, but Luke had fooled him before with such things. Given all the entertainment devices installed in his new room, there was a risk he'd be up half the night playing games.

When he entered the room, he found the lights only dimmed, revealing a stark naked Luke lying on his stomach with his head turned away from the wall. Upon coming closer, he could see a damp towel partially underneath him, and some folded pyjamas resting on the bed. Clearly, his son had returned from his shower intending to dress and get under the bedcovers, but he'd made the fatal decision to close his eyes for a few moments and never completed his task.

For the second time that day, he set about remedying Luke's tendency to fall asleep in less than ideal circumstances. Retrieving the damp towel from the bed was simple enough, as was getting the pyjama pants on with careful application of the Force. But the shirt and getting him inside the bed would risk waking him, so he had to settle for retrieving a blanket from one of the storage cupboards and placing it over the top. A quick glance at the room's temperature controls indicated his son should sleep peacefully with only a blanket.

He finished by turning out the lights, leaving only Artoo's blue and red glow in the darkness. The droid beeped out a quiet _'goodnight'_ as he left.

* * *

Luke shivered as he sat up, feeling the cold sensation had returned. His head was fuzzy with memories of dreams of roaming the castle wearing nothing but pyjama pants, and seeing strange symbols and glowing orange light everywhere. His skin felt clammy, and as he reached up to scratch the back of his neck, he felt sweat under his fingertips. Time for a glass of cold water and another shower.

When he returned from the refresher, towelling off his hair, his gaze fell immediately on the bedside table. The Emperor's gift, now hovering in the air above the open box, which had been converted into a display stand. When he came over to sit on the bed, he realised the box powered a small repulsor, causing the round kyber crystal to slowly rotate in the air.

"Hey, guys," he said to the droids. "Did you get this from the ship? It wasn't here last night."

Artoo made a negative beep, and Threepio said, "Not us, Master Luke. We were here all night."

"Huh. Maybe it was my father. Did he come in while I was asleep?"

Artoo whistled in a positive way, and Luke found himself wondering what had changed between the 'you're not ready for such things' proclamation yesterday, and the 'let's put this on display right beside your face' of last night. His father acted truly strange sometimes.

As soon as he left the room, he thought no more of it. Vaneé was in the dining room, drinking a morning cup of caf while watching the HoloNet news, and he greeted Luke warmly when he came in to get breakfast.

"Did you sleep well, young Luke?"

"Like the desert moon," Luke said. "How about you?"

"I'm always a bit up and down myself," Vaneé said. "The winds were calm last night, though."

"What can I get you for breakfast, sir?" the serving droid said, rolling up in front of Luke.

"Don't worry, I'll get it myself," Luke said. "This is fun. I haven't been able to make my own food since moving into the Imperial Palace."

As he set about making himself some egg on toast and filling a glass with milk, he glanced over at Vaneé, feeling curious. He wasn't like the staff at the palace. They were mostly uniformed officers or royal guards.

"So how long have you known my father?" Luke asked, cracking the egg onto the heating surface.

Vaneé sipped his caf slowly, and then said, in a strangely reverent voice, "I would never presume to claim to know a Dark Lord of the Sith. They are gods among mortals."

Luke found himself smirking at the idea. "I don't think so. My father is as human as you and me. He might have some pretty amazing powers, but I can easily defeat him just by threatening to hug him. I'll show you sometime."

"My family has studied and served the Sith for many a century," Vaneé said, in the same hushed tone. "They command more power than you can possibly comprehend at your tender years. Even over life and death itself. One day, you will understand."

"I have no plans to become a Sith Lord," Luke said, bringing his plate and glass over to the table. "For one thing, I like wearing colors other than black."

"The Force will have other plans for you, young heir."

"You spend too much time around my father," Luke said, taking a bite of his toast. After he'd swallowed, he looked down at it, wondering if this was really what he felt like. "Besides, he would never describe himself as a god."

Vaneé just smiled in a vaguely superior way that Luke found disturbing. He looked down at his scrambled egg and felt strangely queasy. He pushed it around with his fork for a while, and then finally stood up.

"Not to your liking?" Vaneé enquired.

"No, I … I don't know, it's just not what I feel like. I don't have much of an appetite." He rubbed his stomach. "Maybe I just ate too much yesterday."

"You should visit the medical center," Vaneé said. "The medical droids could prescribe something to settle your stomach. Perhaps the climate here requires some time to adjust."

"That's a point," Luke said, remembering stories about visitors to Tatooine getting 'sun sickness'. Perhaps this was 'lava sickness'. "It's definitely started since I arrived."

He left his untouched food on the bench and wandered off in the direction of the medical wing, at the other end of the floor. Ever since his father had shown him how to form a mind link with him, he'd noticed he was becoming more attuned to his father's presence. He could tell his father was down this end of the floor. Perhaps he was still asleep in the bacta tank, tired after yesterday too. Although he knew his father would never admit to such a human weakness.

He soon found the right door and entered the medical bay. The droid was already activated and was monitoring a screen in the corner. Its head twisted towards Luke at the sound of his entrance.

"Good morning. I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting. I am 21-BC5. How may I help you today?"

The two-one-bee units had such gentle, soothing voices it made Luke feel a little better about being in this overly sterile room with its black walls and harsh lighting.

"Hi, I'm Luke. I'm staying here for the weekend. I don't seem to have much of an appetite and my stomach is feeling queasy."

"Oh, dear. Please, take a seat on the bed, Master Luke, and I will endeavour to find the cause of your digestive troubles."

It wasn't so much of a bed but a cold metallic slab, but Luke wasn't about to complain. The droid soon began doing checks on his vital signs and data began to appear on the screen behind him. It said 'Patient: Luke' at the top.

"Have you experienced any other symptoms, Master Luke?" the droid asked.

"Not really. I guess I was tired last night but it was a long day and I ate a lot of food. Vaneé said I might be adjusting to the climate here."

Luke's eyes wandered to the screen in the corner as the droid measured his blood pressure. It was mounted to the wall with an arm that angled it downwards, and there were another two screens below it. It was hard to make out the image. It looked a little like the biological specimens in jars the teacher brought out in science class. The screen on the lower left was slowly cycling through a list of vital signs, much like the ones appearing on Luke's screen behind the medical droid. The one beside it showed a medical diagram zoomed in on the patient's chest and throat area. Luke immediately looked back at the top one, his eyes growing wide with understanding.

"Are your bowel motions regular?"

Luke glanced back at the droid. "Yes, I think so. I went okay this morning."

"Are you experiencing any emotional stress?"

Luke glanced back at the screen. The one on the lower left had cycled to a sideways view of the chest diagram, showing the airflow in and out of artificial breathing tubes inserted into his father's chest.

"I … uh …" Even the question made him uneasy. "I've never been here before. This is my father's home and I know it's important to him that I feel at home here too. He went out of his way to make sure I had a nice room upstairs. But there's bubbling lava below and darkness everywhere even though it's daytime and the big heavy doors make scary sounds. It's like where you'd take a prisoner to crush their spirit." Luke felt a wave of queasiness then, and he hunched forward, clutching his stomach. "Stars, maybe I am allergic to this place."

"Lord Vader is your father?" the droid asked.

Luke sighed. Even medical droids couldn't believe they were related.

"You mean you can't see the resemblance?"

The droid seemed to miss the joke. "Unfortunately, your father's injuries make analysing your physical similarities difficult." Some lights blinked on his torso and then he said, "You are feeling unsettled by your new environment. This is normal and expected. It is one possible cause of your symptoms. I can detect no obvious signs of infection or virus, but I can do a more complete analysis with a fecal sample."

Luke raised his hands in protest. "It's not that bad. Let's just see how I go."

"I could prescribe some tablets that may assist with digestive issues. But first I would like a copy of your medical records to determine if you have any allergies or sensitivities. Do you see a regular doctor?"

Luke nodded. "Yes, on Coruscant."

"If you can arrange to have a copy of your records transferred, that would be most helpful."

Luke nodded, sliding back onto the floor.

"I also recommend you talk about your feelings with your father. Perhaps changes can be made to make this environment more suitable for you."

"He's already made a lot of changes," Luke said. "I don't think he's going to have the entire thing shifted to a nice green planet with waterfalls. Or maybe a beach planet."

"Perhaps you will get used to it in time."

Luke nodded. "I guess so."

"Please return if your symptoms get worse today. In the meantime, drink plenty of water and try some dry, plain food." The droid returned to monitoring the corner screens. Luke was about to walk on, when his eye fell on a large datapad, sitting underneath the screen that still showed all his vital statistics. There was a copy of the diagram of his father's breathing tubes, along with some medical notes.

 _This is private_ , Luke told himself. _Medical records are personal._

But his hand was already moving towards it.

 _He wouldn't want you looking at this,_ came the annoying voice in his head.

 _Then the droid shouldn't have left it lying right here_ , Luke argued. _Besides, he doesn't have to know. I'll just have a quick look and then return it._

His conscience didn't argue further, but Luke was still justifying it to himself as he carried the datapad out the door. If his father was more open about his medical condition, then he wouldn't have to do this. It was better this way. Less awkward. He could learn what he wanted to know without his father needing to discuss something that was clearly not his favourite subject. He would prefer it this way.

The datapad felt heavy in his hand as he travelled across the bridge to the main floor. The library was right there, and he could find a quiet spot to study this. Then return it to the medical center as soon as possible.

There was a table and chair at the far end of the library, beside the massive windows looking out over the Mustafar landscape. Luke slid into the seat and powered on the datapad. As soon as he touched the screen, the image zoomed out and some controls appeared at the side. Soon he was browsing through hundreds of pages of diagrams and notes. There were over a hundred covering the respirator alone. Part numbers, maintenance cycles, modification dates. Circuit diagrams showing the various connections between the front box, the belt controls, and the links with the mask and helmet.

One page finally provided an answer to a question that Luke had long been curious about. What those switches on the front of his father's chest actually did. The answer wasn't anywhere near as interesting as he imagined. However, learning one was a master reset switch for the life support functions of the suit made him feel better about what he was doing. That was important information to know and his father should have told him this long before now.

After he'd covered the respirator, the next pages were reference diagrams for the connection points of his artificial limbs. Luke felt the queasiness rising again as he saw page after page of connectors linking nerves to wires. They'd never really discussed it, but Luke had long suspected at least one of his father's hands were artificial, as it felt hard beneath his glove, and his grip was inhumanly strong. But he'd never seen him take his gloves off to verify it.

Now he could see that not only were both his hands artificial, but large parts of his arms too. When he skipped ahead and saw that both legs were as well, right from below the knee, he had to stop for a moment to get his emotions under control. Who could mutilate someone like this? It was horrific. He'd lost his hand in an accident. How would he feel if it had been deliberately cut off?

He moved on to the next page, hoping this would be the end of it. But what he saw there turned his general queasiness into full on gut-twisting pain. A reference image, labelled 'upper body third degree burns'. He skipped quickly, but the next image was even worse. Part of him wanted to turn it over and forget he ever saw such a thing but another part couldn't stop staring. No wonder the droid had said it was impossible to see the resemblance between them.

After seeing a particularly gruesome image, that left him wondering how in space his father was actually still alive, he glanced out the window at the sight of an exploding fountain of lava on the horizon. Then, it hit him. Here. It had happened right here. Why in all the spinning galaxy would his father want to live on the planet where he had been so horribly injured?

The final page in the file was almost a relief. It showed a simple inspection log, which noted the dates, times and attending med droid, and details of when replacement parts were installed. Luke was about to turn it off entirely, but then he noticed the first date listed. It was the exact day he was born. The exact day his mother had died. The same day the Empire had been founded.

No wonder he didn't ever want to talk about it.

* * *

It was such a rare day in his life that Vader had ever been able to 'sleep in' his initial thought upon realizing the time was confusion over his lack of memory of the night. Normally he'd alternate between short periods of sleep and deep meditation. But he wouldn't even expect to get that on the night of Empire Day. But this morning he felt relatively rested and pain-free, even after returning to the life-support apparatus. Perhaps the relief of having Luke settled here had eased his mind.

It was strange to think how overwhelming and distracting he'd once found Luke's glowing presence in the Force. Now, he couldn't imagine living without it. It was a relief to find it safely upstairs in his room. Considering the amount of time he'd left the newly-fourteen year old to his own devices, he'd half-expected his son to have dismantled his TIE Advanced or gone for an impromptu walk too close to the lava flows.

When he entered the room, Luke immediately sat up from his prone position on the bed, and gave him a nervous look. He then averted his gaze, and glanced back at the holovid, currently tuned to some Hutt soap opera with the volume on low.

"Did you sleep well?" Vader asked, coming closer. His boot became tangled in something, and he glanced down to find Luke had discarded his pyjamas in the middle of the floor. He was about to issue a reprimand over this, but when he looked back at his son, he felt a wave of emotion that gave him pause. Unease. No, it was more than that. Guilt?

"Yes, fine, thank you," Luke said quietly. He wasn't meeting his gaze.

"Where have you been this morning?" Vader asked, suspicious.

There were more waves of guilt at his question.

"Just here. I went down for breakfast."

Vader was about to enquire further, when he noticed the kyber crystal was now on display beside Luke's bed.

"And the hangar?" he suggested.

Luke didn't reply. He had shuffled forward so he was sitting on the end of the bed, facing the holovid.

"Is my N-1 starfighter still in one piece?"

"Yes. I haven't been down there," Luke said.

His tone was surprisingly subdued. Normally, in response to such an accusation, he'd have either sarcastically said he'd accidentally crashed it into a crater or looked even more guilty and told him some long, involved story about his good intentions that ended in disaster.

"Then perhaps we should go down and verify your claim," Vader said. "I have a spare N-1 engine you may take apart."

Luke stared at the carpet. "I … I'm a little tired after yesterday. Maybe this afternoon."

"Very well. Come and find me if you change your mind."

"I will," Luke said, finally looking up. "Thanks."

Vader turned to leave. He hesitated halfway down the corridor, realizing he hadn't actually determined what was making his son feel guilty. It did pay to know these things, where Luke was concerned. Perhaps he should go and inspect his ships just to be sure, although he hadn't detected any lies when he said he hadn't been down there.

Or perhaps he should stop worrying about every little thing. Whatever mischief his son had been up to, if it was serious it would reveal itself sooner or later. And if it wasn't, he could let it go in the spirit of maintaining the peace. After all, the list of things he had managed to keep secret from Obi-Wan at Luke's age numbered in the hundreds.

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

Vaneé had paid a visit to Luke's room in the afternoon, much to Luke's irritation. He felt like being alone and definitely not like answering questions about eating lunch. At least he had the manners to knock and wait for Luke to come out, and had gone away without disputing his claim that he'd had some food earlier and wasn't hungry now.

A short time later, he had gone down and found a packet of some of the fruity snack bars he liked to eat which was enough. He did feel a little like some popcorn, but there was a disappointing lack of junk food in the storage compartments. He'd have to fix that next time they came here.

He spent the afternoon playing holovid games in an attempt to forget about what he'd seen on that datapad. It had been safely returned to the medical center without the droid catching on what he'd done and clearly his father hadn't realized. It was difficult to even look at him without thinking about it.

But, even as he tried to forget, he found he didn't wish he'd never seen it. What he really wanted was to have found out in a less graphic way. And maybe not all at once. The best thing was just to move on and hopefully things would go back to normal, when he hardly noticed his father was injured.

It was difficult, though. His mind kept wandering back to it and the queasiness in his stomach hadn't improved. If he was at home on Coruscant, he might have practiced his gymnastics training in the royal guard exercise rooms or gone for a walk to Ben's apartment. Then he imagined the look Ben might give him if he said he'd looked at his father's medical records without his permission and the feeling of nausea returned. The more he thought about it, the worse it seemed.

By the time evening arrived (not that you could tell by looking out the window), Luke was dreading having to face his father. There was no way he could be oblivious to his mood by now. There would be question after question until he was forced to admit what happened, and then the entire weekend would be ruined. He'd feel completely violated by what he'd done and he couldn't blame him for that.

Threepio, who had been exploring the place with Artoo, came up to tell him dinner was ready. He was taken aback when Luke groaned.

"Are you quite well, Master Luke?"

"I'm fine, Threepio," he said, patting the droid on the shoulder as he stood up. "Is my father down there?"

"No, only Master Vaneé. I do believe your father is otherwise occupied."

"Why? What happened? Is he in the medical center again?" Luke suddenly had a vision of the figure in the bacta tank he'd seen earlier.

"I believe he is fighting with some of those dreadful dueling droids," Threepio said, leading him down the hallway to the elevator. "I would recommend we stay well out of the way."

"Oh," Luke said, sighing with relief. That was a good point. He'd seen his father fight those droids and live opponents, and he was stronger than anyone. He wouldn't have a hope against him and he was healthy. He should quit worrying. Yes, he shouldn't have looked, but he did, and he couldn't change that now. Time to put it out of his mind.

The serving droids had made his dinner, and it was heavy on vegetables, but the pie actually looked appetizing. As soon as he started eating, he realized how hungry he was, and managed to finish the entire plate. Vaneé remarked he seemed to be back on form as far as eating went, and Luke nodded.

"I think you were right. It just took a bit of time to adjust to this place," he said.

"In time, you may come to fully appreciate its beauty."

"So you're here all the time?" Luke said, standing up to put his plate in the cleaning unit.

"I always was a bit of a hermit."

"You'd have probably liked our family farm on Tatooine," Luke said. "Nothing but sand for kilometers."

"I was never too fond of sunshine. And I understand Tatooine has it twice over."

"Yes." Luke glanced out the window, thinking he almost missed it, looking at all those grey clouds.

The doors slid open then, and Vaneé stood up in deference to his father. Luke pushed away his discomfort, and forced himself to turn to face him.

"Hi. I'd like to see that engine now. If you're free."

His father glanced at the table and then back at Luke. "Did you eat properly?"

"Yes, I ate all my vegetables," Luke said, unable to keep a slight mocking tone out of his voice. Vaneé looked vaguely shocked, but his father didn't seem to mind.

"Come, then," he said, gesturing.

Once they were alone in the hallway, his father glanced at him. "You are feeling better, then?"

Luke looked down. "Yes, I'm fine. Why? Were you talking to Vaneé?"

"No." He sounded worried then. "Were you sick?"

"No, no, I just … I ate a lot yesterday and had a sore stomach this morning. But I'm better now."

"I see," his father said, sounding reassured. "I suspect there is a lesson to be learned in your story."

"Hey, it was my birthday," Luke said, joining his father in the elevator. He held the door as Artoo came rolling along, whistling to indicate he didn't want to be left behind.

At the bottom, they had to wait for the heavy door into the main hall to slide up, leaving Luke staring around in confusion.

"Why does this place have so many large scary doors?"

"It is a fortress on a lava planet. It needs to be defensible. The man who designed it was also fond of drama."

Rays of the setting sun broke through the clouds behind them, and Luke watched as their shadows appeared on the far wall. His father's, large and looming, and his somewhat short and skinny beside him. Finally Artoo, rolling up beside him.

"Who designed it?" Luke asked.

"An ancient Sith Lord. Momin."

"So this place is hundreds of years old?"

"No. It is younger than you are."

"So … the ancient Sith Lord travelled forward in time to design it?"

"When he died, his Force presence remained behind in a mask, which came into the Emperor's possession after he renovated the Jedi Temple. Momin would possess anyone who wore it. I found him a series of hosts."

Luke made his scoffing noise. "So." He waved his arms in the air. "This castle was designed by someone possessed by an ancient Sith Lord because they were wearing his mask?"

"Yes. It took nine designs to settle on this one. The shape of the structure acts as a tuning device for the Force."

Luke smiled. "You're making this up."

His father turned his own masked head towards him, causing it to glint in the setting sunlight. His tone was amused.

"So. You imagine this historical account is one a worldly Sith Lord would invent to scare his naive farmboy son?"

The gate was fully open now. Luke gazed around at the vast cavern, and suddenly he could completely believe it had been designed by an ancient Sith Lord who lived in a mask. There was a chill in the air that gave him an echo of earlier discomfort.

"There is much you will yet learn of the Force," his father said, walking ahead of him down the bridge, cape flaring behind him. "This galaxy is a far stranger place than you know. Out here in the far reaches of space, one can discover how vast and mysterious life can be."

He waited for him to catch up on the central platform, staring out over the landscape.

"Coruscant is a manufactured, artificial environment, full of small people living small lives, preoccupied with possessions and status. It suits the Emperor very well. He enjoys manipulating such people."

"But it doesn't suit you?" Luke asked.

His father was quiet. Listening to his breathing, Luke felt his guilt return. After this fatherly wisdom-sharing session about the Force and the galaxy was done, maybe he should just tell him.

"No." He stood with his hands behind his back for a moment, clearly thinking. Then he waved for Luke to walk with him.

"I would like to take you to visit more places. To broaden your perspective. I fear your education on Coruscant is somewhat limited."

"Hey, anytime you want to go for a hyperspace trip I am ready and waiting," Luke said. "Especially if you'll let me have a turn at the controls. Maybe next time we can go somewhere with a beach and sunshine?"

"Didn't you get enough sand on Tatooine?"

Luke smiled. "I hear it's different when it's beside water."

His father waved a hand at the wall as they entered the hangar, causing all the lights to come up with an electrical hum. Artoo came forward, beeping and chirping in an enthusiastic way and then rolled towards the N1 at his top speed.

"What's got him so excited?" Luke said, confused.

"He suggested he and I go for a flight."

"No way, Artoo. If I'm on the ground then so are you," Luke said, running to catch up with the droid. "You can help me repair the spare engine."

Artoo made a rude noise and then tried to dodge around Luke when he stepped in front of him. After a few more failed attempts to intercept, Luke dived at the droid, wrapping himself around him in a full tackle. Artoo screeched and then made a chuckling noise.

"Ah," Luke said, flopping back on the floor. He looked back, wondering why his father hadn't told them both to knock it off, and found he'd paused to check the wing alignment on one of the prototype TIE Fighters. Luke hugged his knees, feeling a wave of emotion as he watched him. If he'd learned nothing else today, it was that he was lucky to have him as part of his life. Very lucky.

He was lucky to be spending this time with him too. If they were on Coruscant, the Empire would have interrupted by now. This wasn't the time to ruin it with talk of uncomfortable subjects.

Artoo made a soft, questioning beep, rolling up beside him.

"I'm okay," Luke said, resting a hand on his dome and then using him as leverage to stand up. "Let's go find that engine."

* * *

It was an hour before midnight when Vader finally ordered his yawning son to bed. He was having too much fun to pay attention the first time he had suggested it, and appeared to have developed a hearing issue the second time he had upgraded it to a request. Then he'd received some half-hearted debate about how 'he was on vacation' and 'he was fourteen now' before he finally agreed he was too tired to safely use tools. Basic equipment safety was one thing the boy's aunt and uncle had spent a lot of time instilling in him when he was younger, something Vader was grateful for.

He continued working on his own project, a complete overhaul of the rear stabilizers on a prototype TIE, for another hour, with Artoo dutifully assisting. Once he was satisfied it was ready for a test flight, Artoo made a chirping noise.

_This ship has no astromech socket._

"Well observed, droid," Vader said. "Your point?"

_Luke will be asleep by now._

Vader studied the astromech, feeling some of Anakin's memories threaten to break out of the mental cell where he kept them securely imprisoned.

"You are as bad as him," he said, pointing at Artoo.

The droid made a pleading noise, and Vader already knew he was going to relent. Artoo wasn't designed to spend all his days at the Imperial Palace, any more than he was.

"Very well. But I haven't flown that N1 in a long time. I'm not entirely sure it still works."

It took another half hour to put some fuel in the ship and run some basic tests, but as soon as Vader felt the vibration as the engines lit up, some primal thrill ran through him, causing a tremor in the Force. There was a reason this ship was so sought after by collectors. He glanced at the instrument panel, seeing Artoo was securely locked into place. The droid gave an impatient whistle.

"I am merely ensuring the engine cooling lines are not blocked with dust."

_It's fine. Let's see what it can do._

"You may regret saying that," Vader said, pulling back the throttle. This ship could do a lot, after all.

Artoo made a noise that resembled a whoop of pleasure.

* * *

Luke hissed in pain, trying to climb higher up the bank. The rocks were sizzling and his feet were bare. Clouds of ash made him cough, and he wrapped his arms around his chest, feeling the burning wind through his thin pyjamas. At the top, he looked back, and was horrified to see someone lying down there, missing their arms and legs. Then a sudden noise like fabric ripping in two, and he couldn't see the figure for all the flames. They rose up like a bonfire, and his screams were ripped from his mouth by the wind.

"No! Father!"

"You can't save him."

Luke looked up with a start, seeing a shape beside him. They were dressed in a black cloak with the hood up, like the Emperor always wore.

"I've got to try!" Luke said. "Help me!"

"I will help you. But you must help me first." The hooded face turned, and Luke took an instinctive step backwards. In the deep shadows of the hood, there was only a single glowing red eye.

"Who are you?" Luke said. "What are you? Are you … are you the one who designed the castle?"

"No. I am one who can give you the power you crave."

"I don't want power," Luke said, hopping further up the bank. His feet were sore. "I want to save my father. He's burning down there."

"You want the power to heal."

Luke paused, looking up at the eye again. It looked just like the kyber crystal.

"You know how to heal people with the Force?"

"Yes. When I lived as you live, I was a great doctor. People travelled from all over the galaxy to visit me."

"I barely know how to use the Force at all. I haven't been trained."

"It is no matter. Once we are joined, your potential will combine with my knowledge. We can do wonderful things together, you and I. I can use your power to heal your father."

The sleeve of the robe extended towards him, but there was no hand in the sleeve.

"Where's your body?" Luke asked, frowning in confusion.

"Gone the way all bodies go in time. That's why I need yours."

A deep chill ran through Luke. This was more than a little creepy.

"I can't give you my body. I need it!"

"I don't need it permanently. I sense there is a powerful concentration of the Force in this castle. More powerful than I have ever experienced."

"My father did mention there's a temple down in the basement."

"If you join with me and take me there, I can use the Force to restore my own body."

Luke raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Are you saying the Force can bring people back from the dead?" He could think of one person who would be here right now if such a thing were possible.

"That, I do not know. To bring people back into this world after they have become one with the Force is beyond my knowledge or power. But my spirit lives on within the kyber crystal. I have never crossed the threshold. So I can be restored. All it requires is the Force and a powerful Force user."

Luke looked back at the fire below. The once human shape was now entirely consumed.

"My father is a powerful Force user. Maybe he could help you."

"He can't. I need someone _healthy_." The way he said the word healthy made Luke's neck prickle. Then, just because he wasn't already being creepy enough, he added, "I need someone who can swallow the kyber crystal."

"Swallow it?" Luke said, taking a step back. "Are you serious? It's too big! I'd choke!"

The air became hazy, like the Tatooine horizon when the suns were at their highest. Luke looked down, realizing he was holding the crystal in his cupped hands. It didn't look so big now.

"Just try."

Outside of his control, his hands were moving towards his mouth.

"No, no, I—"

The lava glowed red briefly, and there was a moment of searing pain that made Luke cry out. But just as quickly, the lava became blue water, and the heated rocks under his feet melted away, replaced with cool sand. Luke turned around, seeing green hills and trees behind him. There was one final cloud of ash, which then blew away, leaving only blue sky above.

 _This is more like it_ , Luke thought. There were sun-bathing chairs laid out on the sand. One even had a blanket and a pillow. It all looked so comfortable, in a moment he'd stretched out and closed his eyes, enjoying the sound of the waves.

* * *

It was well into the early hours of the morning by the time Vader turned the craft back towards the fortress. The shape of it filled the viewscreen, blacker even than the night sky behind it. And for the first time in years, he could look at it without worrying about how he was going to make it safe enough for Luke.

Artoo chirped away as they flew around the back to the hangar bay entrance, expressing his enjoyment of flying in this ship without being shot at by droid starfighters.

"The galaxy is now a safer place," Vader said. "You can thank the Empire for that."

There was a non-committal beep in response, and Vader released a tired breath. Another ungrateful galactic citizen.

The droid rolled ahead of him as they left the hangar and passed over the bridge, his cheerful beeps echoing in the cavern. Vader's thoughts were turning to rest and the choice between meditating in the bacta tank or making do with the hyperbaric chamber. This was brought to a swift end by an abrupt whistle from Artoo and the sight of Vaneé exiting the elevator. His stress caused ripples in the Force, putting Vader's senses on alert. It took a lot to disturb Vaneé's calm temperament.

"What happened?" Vader demanded, already checking his bond with Luke. There was nothing out of the ordinary there. The muffled sensation was consistent with the boy being asleep.

"My lord, the new alarms on the door down to the temple were triggered. It has not been breached. I have conducted an initial search of the basement and found no signs of an intruder. It might have malfunctioned."

Vader stretched out, seeking any sign of an unfamiliar presence in the building. Nothing.

"I will inspect it," Vader said. "Have the security droids run a full sweep of the building."

"Yes, my lord."

"Come, Artoo," Vader said, gesturing to the droid to accompany him to the lower levels.

It wasn't unlikely the admittedly excessive security measures he'd installed down there had been over-tuned. As Vaneé said, there were no signs of an intruder in the corridor leading to the door. Artoo plugged into the wall interface, and although he could see the alarms in the system logs, there was not enough diagnostic data to determine the exact event that triggered it. The system was on a default logging setting.

The temple itself was quiet and empty. After a brief inspection, Vader left the cavern and reset the door, making sure it was fully locked.

"Put the system into diagnostic mode," Vader said, pointing at Artoo. "And instruct the computer to alert you if the alarm is triggered again."

Artoo beeped in acknowledgement, and then noted he'd performed his own security scans while Vader had been inside the temple. The only forensic evidence in the corridor belonged to Vader, Luke and Vaneé.

"It seems it was the ghost of Lord Momin," Vader said, causing Artoo to make a skeptical chirp.

"Come, we have done enough for tonight."

Tomorrow, he would investigate further, but even a Sith Lord needed rest sometimes. And before he could indulge in such a thing, he needed to ensure his son was actually in bed and not slumped on a cushion in front of a video game, something he'd encountered more than once during his tenure as the father of a teenage son.

But all was peaceful when he opened the door to Luke's bedroom, and Artoo immediately went to join Threepio in the droid charging station. The lights had been turned out, and his son was sleeping on his back, his arms stretched askew. Vader took a moment to straighten the blanket, and then left the boy with the droids to watch over him. He would remain in the hyperbaric chamber downstairs, in case there were any further disturbances.

* * *

Luke stared up at the medical droid, feeling his anxiety start to spiral into panic. It was holding a pair of thick rubber tubes in one hand, and a knife in the other.

"This procedure won't take long," the droid said. "You will find breathing much easier."

"No! There's nothing wrong with my breathing!" But Luke knew it wasn't true. There was a pressure on his throat, and his voice was breaking. He brought both hands up to protect himself, and then sat up with a start.

The dream faded, and he found himself blinking in the dull sunlight of the Mustafar morning. His hands were still around his throat, and he rubbed at his neck. What a nightmare. He was sure he'd been dreaming about beaches earlier, so where had that come from?

All the events of yesterday filled his mind as he stumbled towards the refresher, and he buried his face in his hands when he reached the basin. He'd seen those black breathing tubes before. In his father's medical file.

He couldn't stand to look at himself then, and went to turn on the shower. His pyjamas were damp with sweat but he was also shivering. Maybe he was getting sick. Lucky it was only one more day before they would return to Coruscant, because there was no way he was going back into the medical center here. Perhaps he could convince his father to return earlier tomorrow.

When he returned to the main room, pulling on a thick hooded top with an underlayer, Threepio appeared, clearly fully charged.

"Good morning, Master Luke! I must say it's looking like a beautiful day out there, at least by the standards of this planet!"

Artoo made a loud series of whistles, causing Luke to put his hands over his ears.

"Well, really!" Threepio said. "I must say you were late to bed last night, Artoo. What in space were you doing?"

Artoo made a rude noise.

"Guys, please," Luke said. "I'm a little fragile this morning. Take it down a notch."

"Yes, quiet down, Artoo!" Threepio said. "Can't you see Master Luke has just woken up!"

Luke groaned to himself and decided he might find more peace downstairs. The queasy feeling was back, now with a sore throat to boot, and all he wanted to do was drink some cold water and find a quiet corner where he could rest.

Vaneé was nowhere to be seen in the dining room, but it was several hours after the time he normally ate breakfast. It was a relief, as he really didn't feel like talking. The holovid was tuned into the news as usual, but after playing with the remote, Luke found a channel showing some documentary called 'the Outer Rim's most fearsome creatures!'. It was a distraction, anyway.

Halfway through some surprising aerial footage of a rancor herd, the dining room doors slid open, and Vaneé came in, carrying a datapad.

"Morning," Luke mumbled, not taking his eyes off the projector.

"Could you please mute that for a moment, Luke."

He sounded stressed about something. Luke dutifully switched off the sound and looked up with anticipation.

"Something wrong?"

"Yes. An alarm was triggered on the door through to the temple last night. I have been investigating the cause this morning. I thought perhaps you could shed some light."

Luke frowned. Vaneé's tone was as polite and respectful as always, but there was a note of accusation there that stirred Luke's temper.

"If you think I was running around down there at night, you've been living here too long. I have no interest in any crazy Force stuff."

He turned the sound back on, hoping Vaneé would go away. Instead, he spoke again.

"Are you certain?"

"No, sorry, I just forgot I spent the night partying in a Sith temple," Luke said, sarcastically. "I'll come down later and clean up the streamers and confetti."

"You must not speak of the Force with such disrespect," Vaneé said, in a chiding manner.

Luke rolled his eyes, and then pushed his chair aside. If Vaneé wouldn't leave, then he would have to.

"I will have to discuss my findings with your father," Vaneé warned, as he walked past.

"You do that," Luke said. "Don't forget to pass on what I said about the confetti."

Perhaps he should try the library for some peace and quiet.

* * *

The outer door chime roused Vader from his meditation. Sleep hadn't come easily after the disruption the night before, and he had attempted to seek solace in the Force, but so far, it had proved unsuccessful. Something felt wrong.

Vaneé's expression, when the man appeared in front of the open jaws of the hyperbaric chamber, didn't reassure him.

"My lord," he said, bowing in greeting. "During my investigation into the incident last night, I have uncovered some ... troubling information."

"What?"

"The records show the elevator was not used at the time of the incident. But the stairwell doors were opened." Vaneé held up a datapad. "And I found this on one of the security cameras."

Vader stood up and came down to the floor level, accepting the offered device. The video was low resolution and had poor contrast, but it clearly showed the building's resident teenager sneaking along the wall of the stairwell like he was a spy sent to infiltrate the place.

"The alarm went off 45 seconds after this recording," Vaneé added.

Vader closed his eyes, running through a brief mental exercise he'd developed to take the edge off his temper whenever Luke tried his patience. First, recall some of the times his former self had been foolish and disobedient at Luke's age. There were many examples to choose from. Then appreciate that a Sith Lord had not come after him with the full repertoire of Dark Side Force powers in response. Yes, his son's behavior was unacceptable. Yes, he would have to do something about it. But violence was not an option.

Once he felt sufficiently in control, Vader tossed the datapad back to Vaneé and left the room, going immediately to the elevator. His son was no doubt in his room, either still asleep after a late night, or watching some mindless entertainment on the HoloNet. That would not continue. If he really had been so disobedient, he would find some tedious task to occupy him for the afternoon. Manually recalibrating all the spare fuel regulators would be a start.

When he entered Luke's bedroom, he found no one but the droids, who were in the middle of some argument over the correct method of making a bed. They both fell silent at his entrance, to their benefit.

"Where is Luke?"

"I believe he went down for breakfast about half an hour ago, sir," Threepio said.

Vader turned to leave, but then he stopped and looked back at Threepio. "You were here all night, correct?"

"Yes sir."

"Did Luke leave the room?"

Threepio paused for a brief moment, clearly accessing a file, and then he said, "Yes, sir. Shortly before you and Artoo returned, he left the room. I asked if he was all right, and he said he was going downstairs for a glass of water. He went straight back to sleep when he returned."

Vader glanced at the cooling unit. There were glasses and chilled water right here.

"Stay here," he said. "Both of you. I need to speak with Luke alone."

* * *

Luke glanced up from the astromech droid maintenance manual he'd been browsing, seeing his father enter the library. He didn't need to check their mental link to know he wasn't happy. As soon as he saw him, he walked over with a determined stride that made Luke quickly stand up, anticipating he was about to be berated over something.

He didn't speak immediately though, simply assumed the interrogation pose and stared at him.

Luke cringed under the gaze, realizing he must have found out that he'd gone through his medical records. This was going to be awkward. He sighed, settling his gaze on the floor between them. Perhaps he should start with apologizing. And then just keep repeating it.

But his father spoke first. "Did you leave your room last night?"

Luke's eyes widened and he looked up, meeting his father's gaze.

"What?! No! Did Vaneé tell you some made-up story about me being in your weird basement temple?" His voice broke with the strain, and he reached up to rub his throat. It wasn't as sore as it had been when he'd first woken, but it was still irritating.

His father breathed through a couple of cycles, and then said, "So you didn't leave your room?"

"No. Not until I came down for breakfast."

"Threepio said you did. Between midnight and one."

"Then he's mistaken," Luke said, frowning.

"Vaneé found a security recording of you in the stairwell."

"No way! I bet he was the one who went in there to worship some Sith idol. Now he's trying to blame me."

"So. Threepio is mistaken. Vaneé is trying to frame you. What else? You were sleepwalking? Directly to the place where you were specifically told not to go?"

"I said it wasn't me!" Luke said, feeling his temper start to rise.

His father didn't reply, simply stared. Then Luke felt an uncomfortable sensation in his mind, and the sense of his father's presence became overwhelming.

"Stop it!" Luke said, stepping back and raising his hands. "What are you doing?"

His father stopped his mind probe, but Luke could feel their mental link was still heightened.

"You are hiding something," his father said, pointing at him. "I can feel your guilt. If you don't want me to find the answer using the Force, then you will stop this immature behaviour and tell me the truth."

"I did," Luke said, hearing his voice break.

His father made a noise of frustration and then reached out and grabbed him by the upper arm. Luke tried to pull away, but he only tightened his grip and began to pull him in the direction of the door, forcing him to walk. He'd certainly argued with his father many times since they'd found each other, but Luke couldn't remember him ever not believing the truth before. Was this because of that stupid joke he'd made about learning how to lie to him better? He could kick himself for saying such a thing.

Not knowing where he was taking him or what exactly he planned to do when they got there filled Luke with panic.

"Come on!" he said, when they were in the corridor. "I wouldn't go near your temple! Why would you think I would?"

His father didn't reply. But his grip on his arm changed to a hand on his back, and he guided him into the room next door. Luke didn't believe he'd been inside this one on the tour, but there was nothing to see. The bare walls and floor were black, and there was a round flat seat in the middle. It looked like some boring room free of distractions for communing with the Force.

"Sit down," his father ordered, gesturing to the seat.

Luke did so, glad to be putting some distance between them. His father had remained by the door.

"Now, when you are ready to tell me the truth, you may call me through the Force," his father said. At least he sounded calmer. "Until then, you can sit here and meditate on the wisdom of deliberately trying my patience."

Luke started to protest, but his father turned and let the door shut and lock behind him. This was followed by the sensation of their mental link being closed from his father's end. Luke slumped forward across the seat, burying his face in his arms. How in the stars was he going to find a way out of this one?

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

There were days during the last two years when Vader found himself second-guessing the fateful decision he'd made to fully embrace this parenting venture. He'd first imagined it would be a straightforward matter of simply providing his son with food and a place to live and time would take care of the rest. Perhaps with some training and instruction as time allowed, much like taking on a Jedi padawan.

That misguided notion had quickly been disproven when Luke soon made him aware that parenting a teenage Skywalker was more akin to entering a gundark nest with only a pointed stick as a weapon and an entire audience waiting to judge you every time you inevitably failed. And that was before you factored in trying to be a parent and a Sith Lord at the same time.

Foolishly, he'd imagined Luke would break after an hour at most. His son hated being bored, after all, and Anakin would never have been so stubborn with Obi-Wan. Then lunch time came and went, and now it seemed he would rather go hungry than actually admit to what really happened. Given the way his son had been eating over the last month, it was difficult to believe.

And now, as the afternoon stretched on interminably, he was left to wonder exactly how long he should let this go on. The boy could stand to miss lunch, but depriving his son of food, water and a refresher for much longer would be more appropriate treatment for a Rebel prisoner. But if he gave in and let him come out, his son would learn what his own limits were, and no doubt exploit them in the future.

The sound of wheels on the bridge behind him alerted him to Artoo's arrival, something he'd been expecting sooner rather than later. He could only assume his latest argument with Threepio had distracted him. The droid began whistling and beeping urgently.

_Luke is locked in the meditation room! I can't release the door. You must come and let him out!_

"I know, droid," Vader said, looking out at the lava flows. "I locked him in there."

The string of abuse that followed had also been expected.

"I will let him out when he tells me the truth about what happened last night. He knows this. If you want to assist the situation, go and tell him to stop being so stubborn. I will not give in."

_How do you know he's lying?_

Vader released a weary breath. He'd been going over their conversation many times in the last few hours, asking himself the same thing. There was the evidence provided by Threepio and Vaneé. He couldn't detect any obvious intent to deceive when Luke insisted he hadn't left his room, but he was hiding something and he did feel guilty. He'd felt guilty yesterday too, something he shouldn't have dismissed. Perhaps last night wasn't the first time he'd attempted to enter the temple.

"There is evidence that points to his guilt."

_Perhaps it was doctored. We weren't here when it happened._

"Who would have doctored such evidence? Who would have the motivation to do so?"

_Someone trying to access the temple for their own purpose._

"There is no one else here. The security droids did a full sweep last night and found nothing."

Artoo was quiet, clearly processing this information. Then, he beeped out, _why would Luke have gone down there?_

"It is futile to apply logical reasoning to Luke's choices," Vader said. "He knew the room was forbidden. He likely thought it would be amusing to break in. Or perhaps he is going through an adolescent rebellious phase and wanted to be defiant."

_If that's true, why would he lie about it? Wouldn't he want you to know what he'd done?_

It was now Vader's turn to do some processing. It was true he'd never encountered this particular behaviour before with Luke. He often misrepresented his behaviour or denied his obvious feelings, but it only took a brief word from him and he would capitulate and be honest. Moving the speeder across the hangar bay floor was a typical example. Even that was rare. Normally, his son was an open book.

Artoo beeped again. _Maybe he fears what you will do to him. Did you threaten to choke him?_

"Of course not," Vader said, annoyed. That was the most ridiculous part of this entire situation. The actual punishment he'd been planning on giving Luke for attempting to enter the temple wasn't as bad as the one he was currently enduring. "Luke is my son. I made no threats of any bodily harm. What do you think I am, droid?"

_A Sith Lord._

Vader almost sighed. He'd forgotten how good Artoo was at arguing. Too much practice with Threepio. His master would shudder to hear him say this, but he was far away.

"I am a father first."

_Maybe you should remind Luke of that. Then he might tell you what happened._

"I have had enough of your advice, droid. Go back upstairs and remain in Luke's bedroom."

Artoo made a rude noise, but did as he asked. He was lucky he'd had those barriers installed or he'd have been tempted to push him over the edge. He could have saved himself with his jets.

He returned to surveying the landscape, waiting for any sign of a thaw on Luke's end of their bond. It had been stubbornly silent. Every hour or so, he nudged at it, making sure his son wasn't overly distressed, but he'd only felt the same vague feeling of guilt and righteous indignation. During the last hour, he hadn't even sensed that, just a flat resignation.

It caused him pain to even think it, but the person he could really use was Obi-Wan. He and Anakin used to have a good method when it came to breaking some stubborn criminal they were attempting to bring to justice. Obi-Wan would ask the questions in his usual polite way. When met with defiance and refusal, Anakin would resort to demands and exaggerated threats. Then, when the criminal was properly scared for their ongoing health, Obi-Wan would apologise for his irascible padawan and suggest he would do well to only talk with him. A confession would often ensue.

But there was only one of him now. Could he play both parts of that scenario?

His pain became searing agony as he imagined how much easier it would be again if he still had Padmé. There would be no need for any games. She would have gone to Luke hours ago and easily discovered exactly what was on their son's mind, in a firm but loving way, leaving their son in no doubt as to what their parental expectations were, while also ensuring he knew how much they both cared for him. She always knew how to handle a distressed Skywalker.

Abruptly, he turned away from the view. This was pointless. If nothing else, Padmé would always be in favour of talking in preference to a stubborn silence. They weren't accomplishing anything this way and he was the adult here. It was time he acted like it.

But after taking the elevator up to the main floor and releasing the astromech-proof lock, he discovered the reason why his sense of Luke had been largely unchanged for the past two hours. His son, slumped in a fetal position over the round black seat, was gently snoring. Tired after a night of misadventure.

As he reached down to wake him, he paused, noticing there were tear stains on his cheeks. He should have come earlier.

It only took a brief touch on his son's shoulder for Luke to sit up, rubbing his eyes. There was a wave of anxiety across their link when he became aware of his presence, and he looked down, shoulders hunched.

"You are stubborn, young one," Vader said, guiding him to stand up. "Too stubborn for your own good. Go upstairs to your room. When you are ready, you may come down to the dining room and eat."

Luke didn't argue. He left without a word, leaving Vader staring after him. This was far from resolved, but at least this felt like the right thing to do.

After a few minutes, he made his own way up to the dining room, and gave the droids instructions to prepare one of his son's favourite dishes. Perhaps once he was fed and watered he might be more willing to talk. If not, an early night would be in order.

He placed himself in front of the windows down the end of the room, watching the sun set over the distant horizon. It was later than he realized, and it wasn't unexpected when Vaneé made an appearance shortly after.

"Good evening, my lord," he said, taking his place as the serving droids set the table. "Will young Luke be joining us?"

"He is expected," Vader said, not moving from the window.

But, just as the droids began to serve the food and fill the glasses, Threepio entered the room. His manner was more anxious than usual.

"Lord Vader, Master Vaneé," he said. "I am here to inform you that Master Luke sends his apologies. He will not be joining you for the evening meal tonight. However, I do think it best if I take some food up to him. He cannot go hungry just because he doesn't feel like company."

Once again, Vader found himself wishing he could bury his head in his arms. Luke was truly attempting to break him.

"Threepio, you may tell my son that if he doesn't present himself here in the next thirty seconds, I will come up and drag him down."

"Oh, my. Yes, sir. But sir, it will take me more than thirty seconds—"

"Go!"

Threepio quickly turned and scurried out of the room.

For a moment, Vader remembered Artoo's remarks about his tendency to threaten his son, and then decided he didn't care what the droid thought. Let him try raising a teenager.

It took four times as long as thirty seconds, but Luke finally came through the doors, looking tired and dejected. He didn't say a word or raise his head, merely sat down in front of his food and picked up a spoon. He put an elbow on the table in order to rest his head on his hand, causing Vaneé to frown in disapproval. Fortunately, he said nothing, as Vader wasn't sure Luke's temper would stand up to such remarks in his current state. Perhaps this wasn't the best idea, but he did want to see his son properly fed, considering he hadn't eaten since breakfast.

The silence continued for a few long minutes, broken only with the clack of cutlery and the sound of his own breathing. Finally, Vaneé picked up the holovid remote and turned on the screen.

"Would you mind if I changed the HoloNet channel, Luke?" Vaneé asked.

Vader glanced over. It was tuned to some nature channel currently showing two oversized shaggy animals locking horns in an icy valley. It was probably a father and his teenage son.

"Do whatever the hell you want," Luke mumbled, half under his breath.

"Luke," Vader said, in a warning tone.

"What?" Luke said, louder.

"Such crass language has no place at the table."

"That wasn't crass. Now if I'd said—" He then gave a Huttese translation on his previous sentiment, but with a far ruder word than hell. Most such descriptors always sounded ruder in Huttese, regardless.

Vader began running through his calming exercise, focusing on the activity of a distant volcano.

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with Huttese, but it sounds like that is to my benefit," Vaneé said, in a mild tone.

"Remind me to teach you a few good words before I leave," Luke said.

"I'm afraid I must decline your offer, as I agree with your father. Such language doesn't befit your station or your present company."

Luke shrugged, pushing his food in circles around his plate. "Well, I figure he's going to put me in one of the prison cells after this anyway, so what's the point in being polite? You try having a Sith Lord for a father."

Vader released a weary breath. He should have let the boy remain sulking in his room. Even Vaneé's calm nature was slowly being worn down, and his next words had a chill to their tone.

"Young man, if I had behaved as you did at your age, my own father would have made his disapproval felt by means of an electro-whip applied to my posterior. I would suggest you should be grateful he shows you so much forbearance."

Vader couldn't see Luke's face from his present position, but he felt his anger through the Force. It was of a level he didn't normally sense from his good-natured son. He remained quiet though, still pushing at his food.

"Your father, an accountant based in Theed, owned a weapon favoured by slavers and pirates?" Vader enquired.

Vaneé smiled. "So he often claimed."

The conversation fell silent again, and Vader returned to his contemplation of the turbulent landscape. Such a brutal method as Vaneé suggested was hardly appropriate for the son of a Naboo queen. But he couldn't ignore the uncertain feeling that perhaps he was too lenient with Luke. The boy had learned to stay out of his dueling room through the harshest possible means, something he never wanted him to have to experience again. Wouldn't it be the kinder choice, even if it caused Luke momentary pain, if he took steps to ensure he never again dared to defy him on such serious matters?

It was understandable he would be hesitant. Fear that one day he would lose his temper with his son had been his constant companion since the boy had become his responsibility. He knew all too well what the consequences of allowing the Dark Side to take control would be.

In any case, Luke had never given him reason to feel he wouldn't respond to standard methods of behavioural guidance. In the past, often only a few stern words had been enough to ensure results. But perhaps things were changing now, as Luke grew older. He well remembered Anakin Skywalker's phases of foolish teenage rebellion. He'd been hoping Luke would take after Padmé in that regard, whose biggest act of rebellion was running for her planet's highest elected office before her parents were comfortable with the idea.

He released another weary breath at the unwelcome memories. The subject wasn't one he wanted to have to ruminate over for hours on end. This weekend was supposed to be an opportunity to spend quality time with Luke working on engineering projects, not worrying about how he was supposed to produce a disciplined, functioning adult out of the stubborn teenager he had committed to raising.

And all over that infernal temple. He should have simply had the door paved over and pretended it had never existed. If he was honest with himself, Anakin would never have been able to resist attempting to enter a place he'd been warned specifically not to go. He should never have expected Luke to be any different.

"Is your food not to your liking, young Luke?" Vaneé enquired.

Vader glanced over, seeing Luke had yet to make any significant headway with his food.

"It's fine," Luke mumbled, now sounding subdued. "I'm just not hungry."

He then stood up so abruptly, Vader didn't have an opportunity to protest.

"I'm going to shower," he said, making a direct line for the door. Vader was left staring after him in surprise. Perhaps Artoo had managed to unlock the meditation room door and provide Luke with some food earlier.

"Oh dear," Vaneé said. "He does seem very out of sorts, my lord. I fear he is unwell."

"It is unlike him not to eat," Vader agreed.

"He had no appetite yesterday morning either. He mentioned he would talk to the medical droid, but he seemed much better later. Perhaps he's had a relapse."

Luke hadn't mentioned it was serious enough that he'd spoken to the medical droid. A wave of anger threatened to overwhelm him as he re-evaluated his interactions with Luke over the last two days. The lack of energy yesterday morning. Overly tired today. Now a lack of appetite. He preferred lying and disobedience to purposely keeping him in the dark when he was sick.

His first instinct was to go and retrieve his son and have him thoroughly examined. But as soon as he stepped in the elevator he recalled what Luke had said about going to have a shower and thought better of it. Considering how quickly he'd left the dining room, and this talk of digestion trouble, his son may have needed the refresher for another purpose that required privacy. He should find out what he could from the med droid first.

BC5 was on his charging station, but self-activated at the sound of his entrance. He was quick to confirm that Luke had been to visit him, much to Vader's relief.

"I performed several scans on your son, but was unable to find a physical cause of his symptoms," BC5 said, inserting an interface into the computer terminal and bringing up the data he'd gathered from Luke. "After a discussion, I concluded it was likely he was feeling some anxiety around being in a new environment. I recommended rest, drinking water and consuming simple foods until he felt better."

"This was yesterday morning?"

"Yes. Has the patient developed more symptoms? I asked him to return if they grew worse."

"Perhaps," Vader said, scanning the data. Temperature was normal. No signs of a virus.

"He was also going to provide me with a copy of his medical records. He said he sees a doctor on Coruscant."

"You need to direct any such requests to me," Vader said. "I will contact his doctor immediately. You will go up to Luke's bedroom and check for any changes in his condition since you last took this scan."

"Yes, sir."

He could have had Vaneé or even Threepio contact Doctor Leeson to make such a routine request. Considering the hour it would be in Imperial City, it would perhaps be the more polite thing to do. But Luke's medic had a way of calming his anxiety when it came to Luke's health, and he wanted a second opinion. Unlike the med droid, he understood what it meant to be a father.

The call took longer than expected to be answered, and Vader had begun pacing in the communications room. When the man finally appeared, he had a young child balanced on his hip and was wearing a casual shirt emblazoned with the logo of Coruscant's grav-ball team. Perhaps he should have had Vaneé make this call.

"Lord Vader!" he said, surprised. His surprise quickly became concern. "Is Luke all right? Sorry, wait one moment."

He ducked out of the holocom field but his voice was still audible. Vader heard the child make some protest about being placed on the floor.

"I know, but Daddy needs to talk to Lord Vader," he said. "Mom will find your jammers. Go on, good girl."

He popped back up a minute later, running his hands through his hair.

"How can I be of assistance, sir?"

"I hope, for your sake, that was not number eight."

He laughed, relaxing a little. "No, still only seven. I've taken some serious measures to ensure there isn't a number eight."

Vader could only guess at what he meant. It had been fourteen years, and he still wasn't entirely sure what unlikely occurrence had led to Luke's unplanned appearance. It was true he'd been somewhat preoccupied at the time.

"And how is your teenager?" the doctor asked. "Mine have been enjoying the Empire Day weekend festivities."

"We are on Mustafar," Vader explained. "The medical droid here has requested a copy of Luke's records."

"Oh, of course. I'll send those over right away."

"He has been behaving strangely. Not eating. Showing signs of fatigue. And … other things."

The doctor frowned. "Raised temperature?"

"No. No other signs of sickness. The droid believes it is psychological and he is merely adjusting to the new environment. I … am unsure."

"What does Luke say?"

"Nothing. He did not tell me about his lack of appetite yesterday. I found out through other means."

"Has he seemed listless? Uninterested in doing things he'd normally enjoy?"

"Yesterday he displayed those behaviours. He also seemed to be feeling guilty about something. But his mood improved in the evening and he spent time with me working on an engineering task. I did not notice anything unusual."

The doctor looked thoughtful. "And today?"

Vader was silent. He wasn't sure he wanted to disclose how Luke had behaved today, even over an encrypted comm channel.

"His behaviour has been … trying," he said, finally.

"Out of character?"

"Yes."

"It sounds like something has happened to him and he's struggling to deal with it. Sometimes, when a teenager doesn't know how to process their feelings, they act out instead."

"He was normal on the day we arrived. If this is true, it must have occurred since then."

"You said he seemed guilty? Is it possible he's damaged something and he's worried about telling you?"

"It would not surprise me. But he's done that before and never failed to be forthcoming when I've pressed him about the reason for his obvious guilt."

"Perhaps he's embarrassed to tell you. One of mine, when he was Luke's age, another boy at school showed him some things on the HoloNet. Took me a while to figure out why he was so unsettled."

Vader was about to dismiss the idea, and then he hesitated, remembering how Luke had struggled to meet his gaze yesterday. If that was the case, did he really imagine he would shame him over such a thing?

"Possible," Vader admitted. He thought further and found himself revealing more. "There is a dangerous room here which I told him not to enter. Last night, he tried to get through the door and failed. I suspect he may have tried to do the same thing before and that is the source of his guilt. But he has denied everything despite evidence to the contrary."

This was the most difficult part to admit. "I am uncertain about how to proceed. It has been suggested that what he needs is a harsher, physical method of punishment. If there is some underlying issue causing this, I would prefer to address that first. But I have been too careless before and the results were almost fatal for Luke. He must learn not to disobey me when it comes to his safety."

The doctor raised his hands as his tone ventured into territory that usually sent officers scrambling to stay out of his way. Then he spoke in the soothing way he'd often heard him use with Luke.

"Physical punishment is not the answer, and will have the opposite effect from what you're trying to achieve."

"Then what do you suggest?" Vader asked, a note of annoyance in his tone. He did not need to be soothed. Not about this.

"First, acknowledge that you're doing your best. Every parent has moments when you feel completely powerless, and maybe you start to consider doing things you know aren't right. I've been there. Right now, you're taking the time to consider the options and come up with a strategy, and that's a good thing."

Vader was silent, having a feeling he was about to be subjected to some of the doctor's more idealistic views on parenting.

"Near where I grew up, on Tihydra, there was an old swing bridge over a gorge. There were a few sections where the sides had fallen away, and you could see the river below. We were nervous when crossing those parts, going slowly, clinging to the rail on the other side. But in the sections of the bridge where there were rails on both sides, we ran. They made us feel secure and gave us confidence. For a child, growing up is like crossing a swing bridge, and it's up to the family and the community to provide those guard rails."

This metaphor was stirring up uncomfortable memories from Anakin's difficult transition to life at the Jedi Temple. He had left all his security behind with his mother on Tatooine, and Obi-Wan was a stranger who was dealing with his own grief and loss. Unfortunately, the doctor's next words only brought up further recollections.

"If a child is going through a stage of growing independence, they will sometimes test those rails, just to see if they're still there. This can also be brought on by feelings of insecurity. They'll experiment with you to see how much give you have, and what you'll do if they push too far. Do you care enough to guide them back if they're about to fall over the edge? Are you still going to love them if they disappoint you? If Luke had been with you since he was born, you'd have already been through this routine many times and he'd hopefully know exactly where you stood by now."

The man could have been describing Anakin's relationship with the Jedi Council. Deep-seated insecurity and fears of rejection. Constant attempts to prove himself. Frustration over veiled remarks over his emotional state, something he never did succeed in getting under control. Luke may have a Sith Lord for a father, but at least he'd never made him feel like that. Or had he?

"You're both still new to this and he's going through a stage of change right now," the doctor continued. "He needs you to be a source of security. Discipline is the most difficult part of parenting and takes a lot of hard work, but if you take a calm, consistent approach and favour natural consequences, you'll see positive results. Lashing out in anger with words or violence will only lead to more insecurity and poor outcomes for Luke. I have a holovid series here which I often recommend to young patient's families because—"

He looked to the side then, and Vader heard a voice from outside the projector field.

"Who knows where she hid them, but I've put her in Roba's old ones. You want to do the bedtime story?"

A Tihydran woman came into the field, and when she caught sight of Vader, she hastily jumped back.

"Oh, sorry! I thought she made that up!"

"No, it's all right," the doctor said, shifting her back beside him with an arm around her waist. "Lord Vader, this is my wife, Tix." He glanced at her. "We're just talking about parenting teenagers if you have any pearls of wisdom."

She gave a nervous laugh, causing the doctor to smile. He turned back to Vader.

"She's better at it than I am."

"Yeah, that's because you overthink it," she said. "You want to consult your entire academic library before telling them to get those dirty dishes out of their rooms and stop leaving wet towels on the floor."

This did sound like the doctor. He smiled, taking the mockery in good humor. "Okay, but who actually got them to stop leaving the towels on the floor instead of just telling them to do it a hundred times?"

"All right, I'll give you that." She glanced back at Vader, and said, "How old are we talking?"

"He's fourteen," Vader said.

"That's a … challenging age. Uh … one thing I've had some success with is saying 'You tell me how this is from your point of view and I'll listen. Then you listen while I tell it from my point of view.' Of course, sometimes we just argue anyway, but other times, I hear things I didn't expect and it changes my whole perspective. Other than that … sometimes you just have to trust your instincts."

 _Trust your instincts_. Jedi advice. But perhaps not without merit in this situation.

"Except when instincts tell you to do something ill advised," the doctor said looking nervous. "It's best to wait a day or two and think it over. When do you return to Coruscant?"

Ill advised. He sounded like Obi-Wan. But remembering his former self made him uncomfortably aware of how much this man's life now resembled what Anakin Skywalker's might have been. Not that he and Padmé had ever envisioned having seven children, but a brother or sister for Luke wouldn't have gone amiss.

"Tomorrow," Vader said. "I will bring him in if he is still showing symptoms."

"Please do. Or even if he isn't, he's probably due for a checkup. And I'll send you those records within the hour."

Vader released a slow breath as he ended the call. After a few moments spent staring at the empty projector, he turned to walk to the nearby elevator, feeling somewhat calmer. He wasn't any closer to the solution, but the doctor did make a good point. He didn't have to solve this tonight. Perhaps he should make an attempt to encourage Luke to communicate. In any case, it felt good to know he wasn't struggling with this simply because he was a Sith Lord.

The med droid was waiting outside the elevator doors when he stepped out on the upper floor.

"You've seen Luke?" he enquired.

"Yes, sir," the droid said. "He is fatigued and admits to a lack of appetite, but he has no fever and is drinking water. I have advised rest. If the situation continues tomorrow, a more thorough examination will be required."

"Very well," Vader said, walking on. It was as he expected.

He tapped once on the door as he entered. Luke was lying on his back, dressed in pyjamas despite the early hour. He rolled over to face the far wall as he approached, pulling the blanket partially over his body. Artoo, who was hovering nearby, made a sad noise.

"Go and wait downstairs," Vader said. "You too, Threepio."

Artoo made a series of protests, but did as asked, Threepio close behind him. Luke had turned his head slightly at the sound of their departure, and Vader could sense an emotion that gave him pause. _Fear_.

He attempted to heighten their mental link, to give Luke a sense of his own calm emotions, but in response, his son made an amateurish attempt at shielding and pushed his face into the pillow. It seemed he would have to do this the hard way.

By rolling over, Luke had left enough space on the bed for Vader to sit down. He looked out the window for a moment, using the view to center himself. The clouds were now lit with the orange glow from below, as the sun had fallen beneath the horizon. He glanced back at Luke, who still had his face hidden from view.

"Something is making you miserable, young one," Vader said. "Why don't you tell me what it is? I will listen."

Luke lifted his head up, and then turned slightly to look at him sideways.

"What?"

"You clearly have something on your mind. Tell me."

"Have you been talking to my doctor?" Luke said, frowning.

Vader breathed for a few cycles, wondering how Luke had reached that conclusion.

"The medical droid needed your records from Coruscant," Vader explained.

"So you thought you'd ask him for parenting advice at the same time?"

"I didn't ask. He offered. Everyone has been offering me parenting advice. Would you prefer I listened to Vaneé?"

"No," Luke said, quickly. "I would prefer it if you just acted like you. And talked to me like I'm me, not some complex problem you need to solve."

"Acting like me didn't generate results earlier."

"There's no results to generate!" Luke said, shuffling so he was sitting up. He wrapped his arms around a pillow and hugged it to his chest in a protective way. "I told you the truth but you didn't believe me."

Vader studied his son, looking for any sign of deception. As soon as he nudged at their bond, he sensed the earlier guilt. He looked away, trying to calm his frustration that immediately flared.

"You are not being honest. Why do you feel guilty?"

Luke looked away in response, and Vader's sense of his son's guilt felt stronger.

"Is it about something else?" he asked. This was a long shot, but it was worth a try. "Did you see something on the HoloNet that disturbed you? Something of an adult nature?"

"Stars, no!" Luke said, looking mortified.

"Then did something happen before we came here?" Vader thought back, and had a sudden idea. "I left you alone with the Emperor. Did he say something that made you feel uncomfortable?"

Luke was already shaking his head, but Vader pressed harder.

"Did he ask you to go into the temple?"

"No," Luke said, his voice sounding hoarse with fatigue. "I swear, I didn't go to the temple."

"But you were out of bed. I can see you didn't sleep well."

Luke didn't answer, merely sunk his head to the pillow in his arms.

"Are you afraid of my reaction if you tell me the truth?"

"No!"

To his surprise, Vader could sense the lie behind the muffled word. It was as clear as day across their link. It seemed Artoo was right. The idea that Luke was so fearful of being punished hardly seemed believable, considering the restraint he'd shown. Perhaps there were exaggerated stories told at Luke's school, about the methods he used to deal with incompetent officers.

"Luke—" He broke off, unsure how to proceed. Telling his son he had nothing to fear from him wasn't true. His son should be properly wary of pushing him past the limits of his patience, into the territory where the Dark Side would conflate with his rage and create a deadly monster. He had done his best to contain it so far, but there was always the risk he would fail, just as he had failed with the boy's mother.

Maybe he should take a different approach, and try something the doctor's wife had suggested. Explain the situation from his point of view.

"Son, when you first came to live with me, I made a terrible mistake. I didn't properly secure the dueling room from a curious twelve year old, and the results were almost fatal for you. I had intended to bring you here that year, but after that event, I knew I would need to make sure the mistake was rectified. You assured me I had nothing to fear. If I was angry this morning, it was only because the thought of you being in danger is completely unacceptable. There is no punishment I would give you that you should fear more than the consequences the world will have in store if you do not learn to—"

"Wait, wait," Luke said, lifting his head. "You thought the dueling room was _your_ mistake?"

"Yes," Vader said.

"You were angry with me!"

"I was angry that you had been maimed through my carelessness."

Luke stared at him like this was a revelation. Then, he said, "It wasn't your fault. You had the door locked, but I tricked Artoo into letting me in. I just thought it would impress you if I learned how to use a lightsaber and fight a dueling droid."

"If I had been more experienced as a parent, I would have anticipated this and taken precautions. Which is what I endeavoured to do here. But no precautions I can take will ever be enough if you are determined to put yourself in danger."

Luke covered his face again, and Vader felt a wave of despair along the bond.

"I don't know what else I can say. I can lie to you and say I did go down there. Is that what you want?"

Vader's gaze wandered back to the view outside. Something wasn't adding up. He knew what it felt like when Luke did lie to him. He'd felt that just a moment ago, when he'd denied being afraid. That wasn't what he felt when he argued that he hadn't been trying to get into the temple. Perhaps he really had been sleepwalking. But that didn't explain why he was being evasive.

He was about to respond, when he noticed the display case for the kyber crystal was sitting empty on the bedside table.

"What happened to the crystal?" he asked, gesturing.

Luke looked around and then shrugged. "I thought you took it."

"I hope you haven't lost the Emperor's gift." He thought further then, and turned to stare at Luke. "Is that it? You damaged it somehow and you thought if you left it in the temple it might repair itself?"

Luke groaned. "If I say yes, will you leave me alone to sleep?"

Vader studied him. There were dark circles under his eyes and he looked like he hadn't slept in days. Perhaps there wasn't much point pushing this further now. There had been times before when a good night's sleep had worked wonders for Luke's attitude.

"I will leave you alone to sleep if you promise to think over what we have discussed."

Luke nodded in a subdued way.

He stood up, reaching over to put a hand on Luke's shoulder briefly, hoping to communicate something that he could not say with words. The gesture only caused more guilt along their link.

"Goodnight, Son."

"Night," he mumbled.

Threepio and Artoo were waiting down the hall, not downstairs as he asked. Artoo whistled in a questioning way.

"Stay alert tonight," Vader said, pointing at him. "Luke may be sleepwalking. If he goes wandering, try and guide him back to bed and come and find me."

"Of course, sir," Threepio said. "Artoo and I will keep a close watch."

There used to be stories told at the Jedi Temple about a padawan named Adi-Dan Cortez who sleepwalked his way into the council chambers and won a duel with Master Windu, despite having failed his Level 1 lightsaber combat class. Obi-Wan said the same story was told in his padawan days, but the person concerned had sleepwalked into a training class and re-taken his failed test. Like all legends, there was probably a grain of truth if you went back far enough.

If his son really was roaming the building in his sleep, he should be grateful that attempting to access the temple was all he'd done. He should go down and secure the hangar.

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

Luke had fallen asleep quickly after his father had left, feeling completely worn out by the day's events. His throat still hurt, even though the med droid had said he could see no signs of infection. Drinking the chilled water had helped, but it meant he was up again in a few hours to use the refresher.

After falling back into bed, he dozed lightly for a while, and then stirred as the pain in his throat grew. Stumbling back to the refresher, he looked in the mirror, seeing the front of his neck was glowing red. When he brought his hands up, it felt warm.

"I've got to go to the medical droid," Luke mumbled. "This isn't normal."

_No._

When he looked up, he could see the red in his eyes. Some part of his mind knew he should be freaking out about this, but he felt strangely calm. Like he just needed to let go and go back to that nice beach …

"It was you, wasn't it?" Luke said, pushing back against the urge to give in. "You tried to get into the temple. And …" Memories were coming back now. "On the first night, you called to me. Made me go down and get the crystal."

_I just want to be free. Then I can heal your father._

"I want you out of my body," Luke said. "Just tell me what I have to do."

_You won't like it._

"Tell me!"

* * *

After securing the ship hangar and checking on Luke for the tenth time, Vader had made the decision to get some rest in the bacta tank. Even a few hours sleep would go a long way towards clearing his head, and some deep meditation might yield some answers as to what was troubling his son.

He didn't know how many hours had passed when he was stirred awake by the sound of a droid screeching. Through the cloudy liquid and the frosted glass of the tank, he could just make out Artoo's red dome light. It took a second for his mind to realize what this meant.

_Luke ..._

It was not the wisest decision to be in the bacta tank in retrospect, considering the amount of time it took to drain the tank, reattach the prosthetic limbs, connect the respirator and then get dressed. Every minute felt like a lifetime.

As he stood up, cape lowering into place and the assisting mechanical arms connecting the clasp, his hand instinctively extended towards his lightsaber. When nothing was forthcoming, he looked at the tray on the equipment bench, seeing it was empty. He felt his heart beat faster, just as Artoo barrelled through the doors.

_Hurry! I've left Threepio with him, but you know how he panics!_

"Did he take my lightsaber?" Vader asked, hardly able to believe Luke would do such a thing.

_Yes! I tried, but I couldn't stop him!_

"Where is he?"

_Downstairs! Come on!_

He followed Artoo into the elevator and pressed the button for the lowest level, at the droid's urging.

 _I'm sorry about all those judgemental things I said about your parenting_ , the droid babbled, as the elevator began to rush down to the basement. _He's out of control! Worse than you ever were._

Vader looked down at the droid, unsure whether or not to feel insulted.

_You need to punish him properly this time! He may be fourteen but he'll still fit over your lap!_

"Artoo, I promise you, if Luke is indeed running around with my lightsaber, he better pray I will be feeling lenient enough to use such a kind method as you suggest."

He heard an echo of Luke's doctor in his head, urging him to reconsider. He pushed it aside. Let him try raising a Skywalker. His biggest problem was wet towels on the floor. Meanwhile, if he mishandled his son, the galaxy might never recover from the chaos he could inflict. Luke wasn't like other teenagers, and so he required a different approach.

When the elevator doors finally slid open, the scene that met them caused Artoo to screech in horror. A deactivated Threepio lay slumped against the wall, his still smoking left arm a short distance away. At the other end of the corridor, Vaneé had been backed up against the temple door with the lightsaber blade against his throat. Between them, Luke stood with his back to them.

Vader looked from Threepio to Luke in shock. Whoever this was, it wasn't his son.

He'd been completely blind. Of course Luke had been telling the truth. His son, the boy who was born surrounded by tragedy, and had encountered it too often in his young life, yet still remained a wholesome, good-natured young man who didn't have it in him to be so dishonest. He should have listened to his heart instead of his fears.

There was no point wasting time with words. This thing that was possessing his son didn't deserve words. He strode forward, stepping over Threepio's severed arm. As soon as the thing turned around, he reached out a hand, pulling the lightsaber towards him and deactivating it in the process. Then he lifted Luke's body into the air with the Force, giving Vaneé a chance to escape to safety.

"Sir, there's something in his throat," he said, his hand shaking as he pointed at Luke's neck.

Vader came forward, lowering Luke's body to eye level, while keeping his hold firm. The thing glared at him, pure hatred in the glowing red eyes. To see his son in this state was truly terrifying, and his anger was threatening to spiral, but he must stay focused. Luke was unharmed, and he could still sense him through their link. His presence was muffled, like he was asleep. Vader looked down, seeing the same red glow in the front of Luke's throat, right below his larynx.

"The kyber crystal," he said, recognizing the shape.

"There are ancient legends of possessed kyber crystals," Vaneé said. "In the fifth holocron of the wisdom of the Sith doctor, Darth Skulpel—"

Vader made a noise of frustration. This was not the time for Vaneé's academic lectures.

"Hold him!" he said, pulling Luke's body down to the floor. As they placed him on his back, he threshed wildly, but Vaneé managed to pin his right arm with both his hands. Vader gripped his left shoulder in his right hand and brought the left up to his throat, getting a sense for the bones and tissues. This area of the body was his speciality, but never before had he needed to do something requiring such delicacy.

The edges of the crystal blared in the Force, a foreign body having no place being where it was. Vader could sense its malevolence. It was no surprise when it pushed back against his first attempt to shift it. After a second failed attempt, he saw there were tendrils spiraling out of it, corrupting the midichlorians in the surrounding cells. They'd formed some kind of chain, locking it in place.

"Luke," he said, shifting his hand to cup his son's face. "Can you hear me?" He sent a sharp poke along their bond, and it produced immediate results from the unwelcome freeloader. He kicked and bucked, and Vader shifted his hand to Luke's chest, where sweat was soaking through his pyjamas.

"Luke," he repeated, doing his best to sound calm. It was the extreme opposite to how he felt. "This thing has invaded your body, and I need your help to remove it. Wake up and open our link."

The threshing became more frantic, and Vaneé had to strain to hold him. Luke, despite his slight frame, had a fair amount of strength for his age, as he often trained in the guard facilities at the palace.

Vader moved his hand back to Luke's face, where he had his eyes tightly shut in a grimace.

"Son."

Then, his eyes opened, revealing a clear blue that gave Vader a rush of relief. His son locked eyes with him, somehow finding where to focus, even through the blank eye shields of the mask. His gasping breath slowed as Vader felt the bond grow from Luke's side, and he was met with a desperate mental cry for help.

 _I'm here_ , he sent. _It's all right._

From inside Luke's mind, he could see the connection points between the crystal and Luke's own glowing presence in the Force. Gently, he guided Luke to become aware of the invading threads, and then demonstrated how to cut them. Like guiding his hand when showing him how to use a tool in the workshop. He needed to be shown again for the first two, and then took over the task, severing them all quickly. As each one died, the thing inside the crystal raged in anger, sending rocking waves of the Dark Side at Luke. Vader easily shielded him. This pathetic excuse for a Sith Lord had little power to speak of.

As soon as the last tendril had been severed, Vader raised his hand to Luke's neck once again, and this time, the crystal shot upwards in response to his push. His son wheezed as it caught in his throat, and Vader quickly flipped him over to his hands and knees. Now that gravity was on his side, one good cough sent it flying to the floor.

Vader reached around Luke's chest to draw him back from the crystal, and his son collapsed against him, body shaking with the stress of the ordeal. He allowed him a moment, and then pulled him up to his feet, sending reassurance over their link.

"You are safe," he said, as much to convince himself as Luke. "Go with Vaneé now."

He looked past Luke, seeing Vaneé was transfixed by the crystal.

"Take Luke to the medical droid. I will take care of that."

Vaneé had to force himself to look away. Luke wiped a hand across his forehead, and had a quick glance in the direction of the floor, and then cringed as he looked away.

"Worst birthday present ever," he declared, causing Vader to feel a wave of affection for this precious young man the Force had seen fit to bless him with. His spirit was unable to be suppressed, no matter how dark the situation. Too often he dwelled on everything that was difficult about parenting, and not on the vast rewards. He placed a hand on Luke's shoulder again, letting his son sense his feelings.

"Perhaps you weren't meant to swallow it," Vaneé suggested. "I often open a box and find one of the first instructions is 'not for consumption'."

Luke looked down. "I don't … I don't remember doing that. I … I don't even remember …" He looked around suddenly. "How did I get down here? Oh, stars!" He'd caught sight of Threepio, being protectively guarded by Artoo.

"Never mind about Threepio," Vader said. "I will see to him later. You go upstairs."

He gave Luke a gentle push in the direction of the elevator, and then beckoned Vaneé to come closer.

"Don't tell him anything," he said quietly, once Luke was down the far end. "There is no need to add to his trauma. I will answer his questions when I return."

"Of course, my lord," Vaneé said. He glanced back at the crystal and seemed about to ask a question, and then thought better of it.

Vader watched until they were gone, and then reached out to draw it into his hand. It was vibrating slightly with the now isolated energy.

"Now, Sith Lord," he said, holding it up. "It would be an honor to give you a tour of my temple."

* * *

Luke stared at his hands, counting the lines on his knuckles. Biggs had once told him you know if you're dreaming if you look at your hands and can't make out the details. He didn't know if it was true or not, but he could trace every line and see every bump.

"How did I get down there?" he asked Vaneé. The man was standing in the corner of the dining room, watching as the medical droid completed its examination. BC5 had agreed to perform his work here, as Luke was too unsettled to enter the grim medical center.

"Never mind that now," Vaneé said, in his calm way. "Are you in pain?"

"No," Luke said. "I actually feel a lot better. Just tired. And hungry. And thirsty."

"My scans support that assessment," the droid said. "I suggest having some water and simple food before returning to bed."

"Is there any junk food here?" Luke said. "I could really do with some Cosmo Crunchies right now."

"Perhaps some ice cream?" Vaneé suggested. "To soothe your throat."

"Even that feels better," Luke said, rubbing his neck. "But ice cream sounds good."

He ate his way through a bowl of ice cream, a multi-tiered sandwich, the rest of his birthday cake, and finished it off with a glass of warm milk before he finally felt full. Vaneé had watched all this in disbelief, but eventually gave in and shared in some cake.

Afterwards, Luke returned to his room and enjoyed a long shower to wash away the clammy feeling. But the sight of Artoo and Threepio's empty charging stations only reminded him of the sight of his poor droid with his arm severed. Who had done such a thing? Not his father. Vaneé didn't have a lightsaber. Had that crystal really taken control of his body to such an extent that he wasn't even aware of what he was doing? The thought left him shaking, and he quickly turned on the HoloNet to break the eerie silence in the room.

A moment later, he felt a familiar presence nudging at their link, checking up in his usual overprotective way. But for once, Luke welcomed it.

His father came through the door a short time later, and Luke watched as he went straight to the bedside table and picked up the display box. He shut it with a bang and then took it out to the corridor. Luke wasn't sure what happened to it after that, but his father eventually returned without the box. He was holding something else in its place, however.

"I believe this crystal will be a better addition to your room."

Luke reached out a hand to accept the offered gift. It was a clear crystal, carved into the shape of a winged humanoid creature. There was a soft sparkle coming from within the structure as he turned it over in his hands. There was something about it that felt comforting.

"It's nice. What is it?"

"A being that lives on the moons of Iego. Your mother gave it to me to remind me of her when I was away at war."

Luke's eyes widened as he looked at it again. His mother had touched this? Is that what he was feeling … a leftover sense of her presence?

His eyes filled with tears at the rush of feelings that flowed in the wake of that realization. He hastily reached up to wipe them away, but there was no chance of hiding his turmoil from his father. Not now.

"I don't deserve this," he said. "I did awful things. I hurt Threepio."

"No," his father said firmly, reaching out to remove the crystal from his hand. He placed it on the bedside table, where the Emperor's gift had once sat. "You did nothing. A Sith Lord had transferred his Force presence into that kyber crystal. He took control of your body and hurt the droid. Threepio understands. Both droids will return shortly. Artoo is just finishing the soldering work on his arm."

"I did do something," Luke said, reaching for a tissue. "I … let him do this. I should have fought him."

"You are young and untrained," his father said, sitting beside him on the bed. "It was not your fault. I have destroyed what remained of the Sith Lord."

"Do you think the Emperor knew about this?" Luke said, looking up at the sudden realization. "Did he give me that on purpose?"

"He contacted me a short time ago to ask about the disturbances he'd sensed in the Force. He was … surprised to learn about the dual nature of the crystal. He said he must have mixed it up with the one he intended to give you."

Luke raised his hands. "I don't want _that_ one, either. Stars. You were right … I should never have accepted a birthday present from him in the first place."

"I should have trusted my initial instincts."

"You know, any time you want to quit working for him … I'll be one hundred percent supportive. Even if it means moving back to Tatooine."

"A Sith Apprentice does not merely work for their master, young one," his father said. "They swear a vow of eternal loyalty. It can only be severed through death."

Luke looked down, clenching the bedcover between his fingers. He didn't want to think about his father's death.

"I know this is difficult for you to understand," he continued. "But it is in the Emperor's nature to know his subjects' weaknesses, and I believe this was his method for learning more about you. Did this Sith Lord offer you something, in exchange for making use of your body?"

Luke rubbed his face. "I don't remember." That wasn't true. He did remember that, now that his father brought it up.

His father was quiet, waiting for him to say more, and he found himself unable to meet his masked gaze.

"There's something … there's something I should have told you earlier," Luke said, hearing his voice break on the words. His throat felt tight again, but it wasn't due to a foreign body this time.

His father waited all of three seconds before prompting him.

"But you fear my reaction?"

Luke nodded, and then added, "Not fear. Maybe dread is a better word."

"Considering it seems I punished you unfairly today, I believe you may have earned yourself a pass on any unconfessed mischief."

"It's much worse than mischief. And you were only a little unfair. I was keeping something from you. Just not about going to the temple, because I honestly have no memory at all of that." He gripped the bedcover tighter, feeling a wave of anxiety. "And it's not punishment I'm worried about. I just don't want to hurt you."

His father breathed for a few cycles, and Luke could sense his own growing concern.

"Perhaps you should prepare me. On a scale of one to ten, how bad are we talking?"

"Is one the worst? Or ten?"

"One. Ten is you addressing me in a patronizing way. One is you diving into a trash compactor to rescue a model ship."

"Oh. Well … it's a lot lower than one."

"The quicker you tell me, the sooner I can lower my expectations to the new low bar."

Luke cringed, knowing he just had to say it. "Well … the other morning, I went to see the medical droid over my lack of appetite. There was a datapad there and it had your medical records."

His father didn't reply, and every second caused Luke to feel worse. He didn't dare check their bond for a sense of his father's feelings. He raised his hands.

"I'm really sorry. I know I shouldn't have looked at something like that. It's private."

"Why would you want to?" His father sounded confused. Not angry. Not even disappointed.

"Because I was curious. And … well, you never want to talk about it, so I worried it was a lot worse than you let on. Which it was!"

"And you thought I would be upset by this?"

Luke nodded, feeling tears fill his eyes again. "It was really detailed. There were lots of pictures. I hated the thought of you being in that much pain." He risked a glance at his father. "You're not angry?"

"Considering I thought you were going to tell me you'd picked up a spice habit from one of the Moffs … no."

"The Moffs abuse spice?" Luke said, surprised.

"Son, the reason I don't discuss medical matters is I know it will upset you, and I have no wish to sense your concern. I hope this experience will cause you to consider that there might be good reasons behind my actions. And also to learn from my mistakes. I was injured due to a reckless decision I made during a fight. I acted purely out of feeling instead of using my head. Sometimes I see similar impulses in your personality, and I worry you will meet a similar fate if you don't learn to be cautious."

Luke looked down. "I don't understand how you survived. I'm glad you did, but it seems like most people wouldn't have."

"I live because the Force willed it so."

Luke nodded, reaching out to put a hand on his father's sleeve. "Maybe it knew I'd need my father."

His father looked aside, and was silent for a long while. Finally, he said, "You should go to sleep, young one." Luke could feel a strong sense of his father's affection for him through their bond. It was rare he would be so open with that particular feeling.

"I don't think I can," Luke said, shuffling back. "It's nearly morning. I might just watch holovid." He began to feel around the bed for the remote, when the doors slid open, and Artoo rolled into the room, chirping with concern. Threepio was close behind him.

"Threepio!" Luke slid out of bed before his father could stop him and rushed to embrace the droid. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, Master Luke. Although, Artoo certainly took his time attaching this new arm. But, are you all right? Artoo told me about that dreadful crystal."

"I'm so sorry," Luke said, not letting the droid go.

Artoo made a soft beeping noise, gently nudging his leg, and Luke reached down to place a hand on his dome.

"This wasn't your fault, Master Luke," Threepio said. "We droids know all about the risks of being infected with programming that isn't your own. Why, I knew a droid that had to be factory reset after an amateur droidsmith installed an illicit entertainment program that made him tell the most off-color jokes."

Luke chuckled, shifting back from Threepio. "So it could have been worse, is that what you're telling me?"

"Then there was the time Artoo almost caught a virus from a strange computer controlling a—"

Artoo screeched.

"I only tell the story as an example, Artoo."

Luke felt his father's hand on his shoulder, guiding him back to bed. "Come, now. You need rest."

Luke didn't take his eyes off the droids until they had moved to dock in their charging stations, and then finally turned back to crawl under the covers. His father adjusted his pillow, and then Luke felt their bond shift, and he recognised the trick his father used to make him drowsy.

"No, please," he said, raising a hand, palm out. "I'll only have nightmares." He couldn't close his eyes without remembering the sight of the crystal, lodged in his throat.

"You are exhausted. The crystal is gone … there will be no more nightmares."

Luke buried his face in his pyjama sleeve. "Are you sure?"

His father breathed for a moment, and then said, "I will stay with you." He waved a hand at the bedside lamp, causing the room to fall into darkness. Luke glanced over at the new crystal, seeing it also had a faint glow. He picked it up and then lay back on the pillow, twisting it around in his hands.

"Are you sure you want me to have this?"

"Yes."

"Could you tell me something about her? Something I've never heard before."

"If I do, will you sleep?"

"I'll try."

His father was quiet for a long moment, and Luke could feel the pain and sadness over their bond. He was just about to apologise and tell him not to worry, when he said, "She did enjoy a good dessert. When I saw you on your third helping at the Empire Day banquet, I was reminded of her."

"Really?" Luke said, smiling.

His father's only response was to shift the blanket so it covered his upper arms, and then send a wordless suggestion along their link that made him unable to keep his eyes open. The last thing he remembered hearing was the familiar sound of his father breathing.

* * *

Despite Luke's fears, Vader could feel no anxiety from his son while he slept, but he woke early, radiating confusion as he remembered the events of the night before. The original plan had been to return to Coruscant in the late afternoon, giving Luke time to prepare for school tomorrow, but his son's exhausted appearance made him want nothing more than to have his regular doctor give him a thorough examination on Coruscant.

He distracted Luke from his bad memories by giving him the job of getting the ship ready for their journey. By the time that task was done, he even managed a smile when he said goodbye to Vaneé, who said he hoped he'd return soon. Luke merely nodded at the words.

After losing badly to Artoo at several different games, his son fell asleep in one of the rear passenger seats, and remained that way until they arrived back in Imperial City. It was the sunshine that woke him, streaming into the cockpit as they flew down towards the Senate building.

"What's that bright light?" he mumbled sleepily.

"The Coruscant sun," Vader said.

"Ah, sunshine," Luke said, rubbing his eyes as he moved forward into the co-pilot's seat. "I forgot what you looked like!"

As soon as they landed, he rushed down the boarding ramp and then spun around outside with his hands outstretched. It took him until Vader had finished the shut down sequence to notice they weren't actually at the Imperial Palace.

"I'm fine, really," Luke said, as Vader led him down the corridor towards the elevators. "Just tired. I don't need to see my doctor."

"Humor me, Son. It isn't every day I have to dislodge a possessed kyber crystal from your throat."

"What are you even going to say?" Luke said, frowning at the memory. "You can't tell Doctor Leeson about all that weird Sith stuff."

Vader considered it as the elevator travelled down to the med centre floor. Luke had a point.

"See, now this is where being able to lie convincingly would come in handy," Luke said.

"I will tell him you experienced a lack of appetite and a sore throat, but appear to be recovering. He said you were due for a checkup."

Luke groaned. "He always goes overboard on his checkups. That's probably your fault. Then he starts telling you I need to eat more vegetables and go to bed earlier."

Despite Luke's complaints, he did look pleased to see his doctor when they arrived in the med center, and Vader gave them some privacy while the full examination was performed. He returned while Luke was waiting for his blood test results to be processed, and he found his son sitting on the side of the examination bed, looking somewhat melancholy.

"I can't believe how long this is taking," he grumbled. "I swear, I'm fine."

"Be patient, young one. Having to wait for something is a good opportunity to reflect on the world and your place in it."

Luke smirked. "Is that what you've been doing while you were waiting outside?"

"No."

"Then what?"

Vader was quiet, considering how transparent he should be.

"I was thinking that I wish your first time on Mustafar had been a better experience."

Luke shrugged. "I guess it will make a good story for my memoir one day. Have I told you about that? It's called 'Living With Sith Lords'."

"I assume I'll have veto rights on the draft."

"Ha! No, of course not. It's going to have lots of stories about your terrible Dad jokes."

"It would never make it past the censorship board."

"Assuming I don't publish it on the underground HoloNet."

Vader stared at his son for a moment, and then said, "You are being flippant to avoid discussing your true feelings. I know you were hurt. It was undoubtedly a traumatic experience and one I regret I failed to prevent."

Luke sighed, clearly realizing he wasn't going to avoid this one.

"It was awful. But I learned something. Don't trust birthday presents from the Emperor. And also … if someone promises you something that you'd do anything for, then you should be wary."

Vader was silent, considering this. "I spent considerable time and effort trying to make it safe for you but there was something I missed. Perhaps I have learned something too."

"That the world is dangerous and you can't possibly prevent every bad thing that might happen to me because sometimes I need to make mistakes and learn for myself?" Luke suggested, leaning back on his arms.

"No. More that if I want to protect you, then I need to concentrate as much on you as on your environment. The Emperor has shown me that the greatest danger to any individual is their own capacity to be exploited."

Luke now had his face in his hand. "Maybe the biggest danger is people who go around exploiting others. Maybe those people shouldn't be in charge of the galaxy."

Vader didn't respond to that. He had a feeling they would be having this argument about his master for years to come.

The doctor returned then, holding a datapad.

"Well, everything looks fine, Luke. You do have a slightly elevated white blood cell count, which is a sign that you may have experienced a recent infection. I suggest resting up for a few days, eating a balanced diet, and going to bed early."

Vader could tell Luke was giving him a 'I told you so' look without even turning his head towards him.

"So are you saying I shouldn't go to school this week?" Luke asked.

Doctor Leeson smiled. "I'll leave that decision up to you and your father." He looked at Vader then. "He's doing well. You'll likely notice he's eating a lot in the coming months … he's grown three centimeters since I last took his measurements."

"I'm growing?" Luke said, sounding excited at the idea.

"Yes. Which is why it's important to fill up on nutritional food, not manufactured snacks. That can help you avoid sickness, too."

"That's good advice," Luke said, nodding in a mock-serious way. "You wouldn't happen to know of any food that can ward off Sith Lords, would you? Garlic?"

Vader released a weary breath. "Thank you for your time, Doctor."

"I'll send you the full report," he said, looking like he was trying to hide a smile.

When they walked out of the examination room, Vader gave Luke a look, until he smiled in a guilty way. "What?"

"You are going to bed early tonight."

"Okay, fine," Luke sighed. He rubbed the side of his head. "So … when do you think we'll go back?"

Vader considered it as they passed through the empty waiting room, and then through the transparent outer doors.

"Perhaps in a months' time," he said finally. Then, in the hope of adding some incentive for Luke, he added, "You could invite your spineless friend to join you."

Luke stopped and stared at him like he'd just suggested they bring the Emperor next time.

"You _honestly_ think Ben would want to hang out with us in your lava fortress of doom?"

It was difficult to hear, but at least Luke was being open about his feelings. He had been concerned he was pretending to be accepting of this because he didn't want to hurt him.

"Was it that bad?" Vader asked, turning to face him. "If you have ideas for improvements, I am open to your suggestions."

Luke's expression softened. "It's … well, it's obviously not a planet I would choose to live. But I do really love my room. And your ships. And I liked spending time with just us."

"Then you are open to trying again? After you've had time to recover from this experience."

Luke looked down. "That's probably why the Emperor did this. He didn't want us to have a good weekend together." He sighed. "He ruins everything," he mumbled.

Before Vader could respond, the automatic doors into the medcenter opened again, and a departing patient drew up short at the sight of them.

"Lord Vader!"

Vader turned, and it took him a moment to recognize the young woman. Lieutenant Banks. She looked different now that she was out of uniform. Her style of civilian dress was … overly bright, and she was carrying a data projector.

"Lieutenant."

Her gaze shifted to Luke, and her expression relaxed into a warm smile. "Oh! You must be Luke."

"Luke, this is Lieutenant Banks," Vader explained. "She is the architect who designed your room on Mustafar."

"Really?" Luke said. "It's incredible! I love the chilled water dispenser. And I actually make my own food in the dining room! I love it … thank you so much."

"Oh, that's so nice of you to say," she said. Her voice sounded strained, like she was struggling not to cry. She took a deep breath, and then said, "Sorry. I just had some … exciting news." She switched on the device in her hand, which projected a holo of something that made Luke tilt his head in confusion.

"Looks like my next construction project is going to be a little more complicated!" she said, with a laugh that sounded forced. "Little earlier than I planned but … I guess I'm up for it! Any advice for a first-time parent, sir?"

Luke smirked, finally catching on. "You're seriously asking him?"

"There is a sign above the entrance to a mine on Kessel which comes to mind," Vader said. "Abandon hope, all ye who enter."

Lieutenant Banks stopped smiling at his words, her eyes growing wide.

Luke gave a half groan, half sigh in response. "Never ask him for advice!" He took a moment to roll his eyes in a dramatic way, and then said. "Listen. If even _he_ can be an okay parent most of the time, then you'll be amazing."

The warm smile returned to the lieutenant's face, and she said, "Thank you, Luke. That really helps. It was a pleasure to meet you, and I hope you'll continue to enjoy your room." She gave Vader a salute then, and went on her way, appearing much lighter.

Vader met his son's amused gaze.

"You think I'm an 'okay' parent?" he enquired.

Luke smirked. "Usually." He became serious then. "The truth is … this weekend has made me realize how lucky I am to have you in my life. I know you would rather be on Mustafar than on Coruscant. So … we'll make this work. You've made a lot of sacrifices for my needs, so I'll do the same for Mustafar."

Vader stared at Luke, wondering again how he had managed to father this boy. And why he was the one left to experience this gift in human form. Part of him wanted to put his arms around his son and hold him close, even though such urges caused the Dark Side to yank painfully at the chains that bound them together.

"And that's something the Emperor will never understand," Luke continued, oblivious to his feelings. "I bet he thought I'd never want to go there again after this. Well, he can go jump in the trash—"

"Luke!" Vader said, raising a hand.

Luke's expression returned to a smirk. "Also … I have one condition."

"Proceed."

"You'll have to put up with me calling it the lava fortress of doom."

Vader put his hand on Luke's shoulder, guiding him back towards the elevators.

"Agreed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to my long-time writing peep DejaKnowIBeenLookinForVu who gave me a great suggestion to improve this chapter.
> 
> And endless thanks to everyone who has been commenting on this and letting me know they're enjoying it ... it means so much. Socially distanced internet hugs for you all  
> 
> 
> **Fanart**
> 
> Sithness at DeviantArt did the most incredible fanart of Luke's bedroom from this fic ->
> 
> <https://www.deviantart.com/sithness/art/Way-too-much-for-a-farm-boy-from-Tatooine-848525732>


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